Nothin' On My Mind
by The Awesome H
Summary: Gajeel and Levy have been working together lately on several jobs. Jet and Droy are jealous, Lucy and Cana are growing suspicious, and it's about time that one of them fessed up their feelings for the other. Right? Enjoy an introductory tale of how Gajeel and Levy tell each other the three most important words they'll ever hear. (CITRUS ALERT: contains lemon and a little lime.)
1. Chapter 1

**Entry for Gajevy/GaLe week - Prompt #1: Blanket**

* * *

Snoring. That was all he could hear at night and Gajeel was regretting his decision to assist Levy with this job. How could such a tiny person make such loud noises? Especially in her sleep? He'd given her the better bed roll out of the two left at the guild. There was an invigorated spirit in Fairy Tail these days, and because of this, everyone was out on jobs, bringing in money, and trying to restore themselves back to glory. And although Levy and Gajeel had been successful at this job, he was seriously regretting his decision to be a stand-up guy and let the girl have the blanket without the holes. Especially with this incessant snoring!

He had been excited in the beginning – it was about time she dropped those dopes, Jet and Droy anyway. He didn't like that they were so clingy and well….weak. He'd made a promise to Levy years ago and Gajeel had every intention of keeping it – he'd make her big. He had a debt to pay to her, for hurting her, for breaking her. He'd thought he'd get his chance when she was testing for S-Class. But, as always, life had a weird way of messing things up for him. He'd learned a lot about Levy then – her unbreakable spirit, the way she handled stress under pressure, and how much she had truly forgiven him. It had been so much easier for Levy to forgive him. So much easier than what Gajeel went through every day to forgive himself.

Silence blessed his ears in the darkness. Gajeel sighed happily, figuring that Levy had finally rolled into a deeper sleep. He had tried everything during their short time together – putting her hand in cold water (which had ended terribly for Gajeel and gave Levy a salty attitude toward him for a few days), shoved cotton balls up her nostrils (which had made things very worse and given Levy a nose bleed), and tried to seek out another mage who specialized in this stuff. Couldn't he at least get some sleeping pills to get through it?

"Gajeel!"

Her voice interrupted his peace and quiet. It was soft, but urgent and completely impossible to ignore.

"Gajeel! Where are you? Don't leave me!"

It was true that Gajeel had a fascination with Levy. He did what he could to make her laugh and keep sadness away from her. He owed her that much, right? Sighing into the night, Gajeel rose and made his way toward her bed roll.

"Shrimp? Levy, are you awake?"

Silence followed his questioning, but he positioned himself next to her, looking at her slim form in the bright moonlight that lit the area.

"Gajeel. I'm so scared."

There was nothing to fear in the dark, but Gajeel quickly realized that she must be dreaming. Her eyes were squeezed tight and he could see that her breathing was coming in rapid little gasps. Hesitating, he placed his hand out to brush her beautiful, soft hair from her face.

"Shh now, Shrimp. I'm not gonna to let anything get you. You're perfectly safe with me around. Ain't no one gonna bother you. I promise you that."

"Gajeel."

Was it wrong that he liked it when she said his name?

"I'm cold."

A frown settled on his face, but he could see Levy visibly shiver under her blanket. It was a damn good thing that he was so tough. He stood up and grabbed his blanket – the hole covered, moth eaten one that had been left just for him – and he placed it upon the blue haired woman who entranced him.

* * *

Gajeel got little sleep that night, but Levy slept soundlessly. She knew that she had a snoring problem. She'd always been told it was something to do with her allergies. The pollen in the trees not only made her sneeze, but it gave her the most unattractive sleeping habit known to man. There was nothing sexy about a snoring woman in bed. Ugh. How'd she get to be so lucky? It was probably a good thing that she didn't know about her talking habit either, because if she did, she'd never be able to look Gajeel in the eyes after what she would imagine her sleeping self would have let loose.

It wasn't really a secret to anyone in the guild that Levy harbored a little crush on Gajeel. As a matter of fact, she was often teased by Cana and Lucy, two of the individuals who had witnessed a handful of slightly intimate moments a few years ago. Or at least, intimate by girl standards. Sure, Gajeel was nice to her now, but Levy was positive that he wasn't even interested in pursuing something further with her. The only ones who were remotely interested were Droy and Jet, but they had never quite been her type. Gajeel….well, let's just say he was a completely different story for sweet, smart, innocent Levy.

They'd worked so hard on this last job and Levy was so glad that she had escaped Jet and Droy for a few days. They had a habit of rubbing her too hard and she lost her joy for going on jobs with them more quickly now…now that she knew what it was like working with someone like Gajeel. He complimented her so well – his offensive magic gave her time to focus on her script skills. She wasn't weak – hell no, she wasn't weak. But she wasn't as strong as Gajeel.

Plus, he'd promised her. He promised her and she knew he would keep that promise.

With a small little yawn, Levy woke up to the sound of birds chirping and sunlight in her eyes. She felt like she was on fire, but that was practically impossible! The little blanket that she used, although good quality, only kept the chill out of her bones so much at night. She realized quickly that she had acquired yet another blanket during the night, and after looking for her partner, she found that he was curled up without one. The kind gesture made her blush a bright pink. He hadn't needed to give her his very own blanket. She'd have made due without! It was still sweet, nonetheless – probably just an act of kindness that didn't have any alternative meaning.

It absolutely didn't mean anything. Gestures like this never did.

With a sigh, Levy rose, taking Gajeel's blanket and draping it back over him. She studied him for a few minutes – her fingers itching for the feel of his skin under them. But she sighed, deciding not to play with the fires of temptation in case he were to wake up. Trekking back to Magnolia was going to be a long trip today, she thought. She'd best focus on packing herself.

* * *

Gajeel knew he must have been dreaming about the lingering that he'd felt when Levy came to his bed roll that morning. She had smelled like heaven – floral and spice mixed together in an incredible combination. He could have picked her scent out of a million other women – no one had a smell the reminded him of the library and of bliss like Levy did. He'd smiled when Levy draped his blanket back over him that morning, not missing the soft sigh she let out before moving to gather her things. He'd hear her calling for him a bit later, telling him that if they didn't get leaving soon that Lily was going to kill her for keeping him away for so long. Now, however, they were walking in silence, something thick and heavy lingering in the air.

Feelings? Emotions? Gajeel felt his palms become sweaty. Was he nervous? What was he nervous about? Levy had been deep in thought most of the morning, so he hadn't bothered her. But Gajeel didn't like it when Levy didn't talk to him. Clearing his throat, he started to speak. Levy also thought it was an appropriate time to breach conversation with him too.

"I need to talk to you about something, Shrimp."

"I need to talk to you about something, Gajeel."

He could see the pink blush cover her cheeks when they both spoke at the same time. He gave her a small grin before she told him to go ahead and go first. What she had to say wasn't important, or at least, that's what she thought. It was important to Gajeel.

"Well….before we go out on any more jobs together, you need to get that snoring of yours under control. I think you scared every livin' creature out of that forest last night!"

Gajeel teased her a bit, but he noticed her blush deepen to a dark maroon. It made Gajeel worry about her.

"I'm just messin' with ya, Shrimp. But seriously – did you know that you snore AND you like to talk in your sleep?"

* * *

Levy was mortified. MORTIFIED.

Gajeel had heard her snore. Gajeel had tried tricks to get her to stop snoring all throughout their trip! And she probably spilled her guts at some point in her sleep too. Great. Just what she needed when she was on a job with the love of her….life? Did she really just think that?

"I…I…I hope that…"

She stuttered, the look of pure terror remaining on her face. Gajeel took one look at her before laughing uncontrollably – she really was a lot of fun to antagonize.

"Don't look like that, Shrimp. You didn't say nuthin' to incriminate you or anything. Just that you were cold and scared for some reason. Must have been havin' a bad dream."

Relief washed through her immediately. She hadn't spilled her deepest secrets!

"You should go get some sleeping medicine to help you with that snoring thing though. You sound like a bear, not like the Shrimp that you are. Maybe Wendy can assist you or somethin'. She's good at that stuff."

"Ye..yeah, I will. Thanks for letting me know."

Silence hung between the both of them for a few minutes. Levy was still trying to calm herself from the panic she had felt earlier. But Gajeel wasn't aware and he turned to look at her with a curiosity.

"Hey, what did you want to talk about?"

"Oh – Nothing really."

"Come on now, Shrimp. Don't give me that. Traveling with a companion isn't fun when it's all silence."

"Oh, well – I wanted to thank you for the blanket, Gajeel."

"Don't mention it, Levy."

It was the first time that he'd used her name in a long time. The butterflies that lived in her stomach when he was around soared to life.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Ahhh! So this is "chapter 1" of the first story that I've ever posted on here! I'm nervous and excited at the same time, so please feel free to send me comments and point out any errors you see in the chapter. Looking forward to adding on more this week as Gajevy/GaLe week continues! Chapters may include Mature Content in the future - so watch out for rating changes if that happens. Muahaha!

Prompt #2 will be: I Love You.

Tune in to see what doors this will open up to one of our favorite FT ships! #OTP


	2. Chapter 2

**Gajevy/GaLe Week Prompt #2 - I Love You (Part 1 of 2)**

* * *

Valentine's Day.

It had always been a fun day for her – who wouldn't have fun on Valentine's Day!? Levy knew that her two partners in crime, Jet and Droy, would make sure that she got a gift or two. She had their very own gifts tucked into her bag as she walked toward the guild hall. They were always her Valentine's!

Of course, there was a third gift in there too – for someone special, of course. Not those silly gifts that she got the other two every year. This one was special because he was special. To her.

Levy had just returned from her latest mission – a boring one, according to Gajeel. But he was wise enough not to complain a whole lot. The job had been a desperation post and Gajeel had gotten to beat someone up – he was happy, Levy was happy, and they had been nothing but grins the entire way back to Magnolia. Heck, they'd even chatted the entire way home! Levy smiled as she remembered the hesitation between them as they had parted ways at the guild hall days prior. But her smile turned into a curious frown as she started to wonder where Gajeel had gone off to. She hadn't seen him since.

"Good morning, Mira!"

Levy waved as she walked into the hall. She was all smiles as she looked at the décor within the building.

"You've really outdone yourself this year. It looks amazing!"

Mirajane had always been the best decorator out of the guild members. Levy wondered who all she had to convince to help her put this masterpiece together. Pink, red, and white colored the entire building. Hearts shimmied everywhere you looked. It honestly looked like Cupid had vomited up the entire holiday in the Fairytail guild hall.

Levy 'oooh'ed and 'awww'ed at the various additions to the normal scenery. A chocolate fountain (Levy's favorite!) was located on the far side of the large room. Treats of all kinds were placed on the tables. But there was one particular area that Levy was looking for – the Valentine booth. Every year, each member had a special place to receive valentine gifts – cubbies with their names adorned a makeshift wall specifically for this special day. It kept the anonymity alive, although everyone knew to expect to receive a few gifts from various individuals in the guild. Levy always gave everyone a special treat so no one would feel left out – even if it was just a simple Valentine's Day card letting them know how much they were appreciated. It appeared that other members within the guild had already started placing their Valentine's late last night.

"Who'd you bring Valentines for this year, Levy?"

Mira inquired, a bright smile plastered on her face as Levy walked over to the Valentine cubbies.

"Oh, you know, the usuals. Droy and Jet. I also have a little something for a few other people, but nothing too crazy this year."

Levy kept her back turned as she spoke, hopefully hiding the fact that she was lying to Mira. But Mira knew all – she could tell by the way Levy's voice fluctuated that she had thought about this year more than she was letting on. Mira didn't push, however. That wasn't her place.

"Levy, you're just the sweetest! I think everyone enjoys getting your cards every year. You never have a bad thing to say about anyone."

Levy chuckled as she sought out the names for her Valentines.

"Thanks, Mira. Don't let anyone else see, okay?"

The guild hall was surprisingly empty for Valentine's Day. But as Levy was depositing her Valentines gifts into the cubbies for each of the members in their guild, two high pitched voices squealed with delight.

"Lucy! Can you believe what I found on my doorstep this morning?!"

Lucy. Cana. Levy knew that she had to hurry. She finished depositing the cards and was just about to start on her three gifts when the girls saw her.

"Levy! You're here already!"

Levy shuffled nervously, pushing a gift into Jet's cubby.

"Yeah. Figured I would get this gift stuff out of the way before everyone started coming. You know, to keep it a 'secret.'"

Levy inched toward the earlier lettered names – hovering around the letter "G". If she just pushed the box into the cubby quickly, maybe they wouldn't see it…..

"Cana! Lucy! Can you come help me for a minute? Levy, you too!"

Levy heard the other girls sigh before moving toward Mira. Cries of 'Do we have to, Mira?' and 'Can I just have a drink first?' graced Levy's ears.

"I'll be right there, Mira!"

Levy danced nervously on her toes as she shoved a box into Droy's cubby. One more gift to go. One more, one more! With shaking hands and checking over her shoulders, she hovered over Gajeel's box, placing in the prettiest wrapped present she'd ever made inside. She hoped he liked it. Placing her hands on her hips and taking a deep sigh of relief, Levy smiled. Mission accomplished.

A giant wall of a chest smacked her in the face as she turned to walk toward the other women. She should have been paying better attention to her surroundings instead of gloating to herself about placing the gifts quickly.

"Owww!"

Levy cried out as she backed away, putting her hands out in front of her to steady herself. Her fingers connected with the chest that she had run into. Strong hands clasped on her shoulders and Levy wasn't teetering anymore.

"Watch where you're going, Shortstack. I almost took you out without doing anythin'."

"Ga…Ga…Gajeel?"

Holy shit. Gajeel. Did he see that she had given him a gift? Was her cover blown? What was she going to do!?

"Hello? Yes, it's me. At least, I think I'm me?"

"Gajeel. Stop acting like an imbecile."

A deep voice approached behind him – Patherlily.

"Now, Lily, is that anyway to talk to me around a lady?"

"Does it matter?"

Levy rubbed her nose as the pain subsided, watching as Gajeel and Lily got into a little bit of a squabble. It appeared that Lily was still a little hurt by Gajeel completing jobs without him lately. Levy might have been the one to blame for that. She'd only been trying to get Gajeel to integrate within Fairytail a little better, that's all!

"Levy! We need you."

Mira called from the back storage room.

"Yes, Levy. WE NEED YOU NOW."

Lucy yelled, obviously displeased that Levy was getting out of being harassed by Mira and she wasn't. Their voices were the only thing that kept Levy from panicking. Her cheeks were flushed a bright red and her thoughts raced with how nice Gajeel had felt pressed against her for that brief second.

"Short stack! Earth to Shrimp! Helloooo Shorty?"

Gajeel's hand waved in front of her, jolting her into action. Geez, she was a space cadet today.

"Um, um. Bye."

Levy quickly hurried away, diving behind the door to the store room before Gajeel could say anything else to her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she leaned against the door, only to open them widely at the laughter from the three women in front of her.

"Leeeevvy!"

"Oh my god, she likes him!"

"Cana, Lucy, leave her alone!"

"No way, Mira! She teases me all the time about Natsu!"

"Yeah, and she gives me crap about drinking so much too!"

Together, in a sing song voice, Lucy and Cana began to harmonize.

"Levy and Gajeel, sittin' in a tree – K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

Giggles exploded. Levy's cheeks blazed a hot red. And minutes later, the episode was all but forgotten as more giggles from all parties in the storage room escaped them.

"AH, Mira! I think everyone will love it!"

"Yeah, this was such a great idea!"

"I'm so excited, Mira!"

The party tonight was definitely going to be a fun one.

* * *

All Valentine's had to be distributed by the start of the party and Levy was humming with excitement. She couldn't wait to see everyone get their gifts when the festivities began. Who would pair up after today? She hoped there were some unexpected surprises!

Levy made it a tradition every year to not open any of her gifts or cards until the end of the night. She wanted to open them alone. Part of her romanticized the entire event, and if she did happen to get something sweet from someone, she'd rather not be oogled and harassed about it. There were others, like Lucy, one of her best friends, who didn't have a problem with opening her valentines in public. And that was exactly how the excitement started.

"OOOH LEVY! It's awesome!"

Arms engulfed her in a hug and Levy thought her breath was going to be squeezed out of her. Of course, she'd given Lucy a little something extra with her card. A silver key dangled from her friend's grasp.

"I found it when Gajeel and I were finishing up our last job. The guy who owned the building said he had no use for it and told me I could have it. I immediately wanted to give it to you, but I thought it would be more special to wait until today."

Levy beamed at Lucy. She was really an amazing person and Levy was so glad she could make her friend so happy.

"But Lucy, will you open up that box? I don't really know what it could be and it looks like a little kid wrapped it."

Of course, it was from Natsu and Happy. More squeals of joy escaped the busty blonde and this time, her arms went around the salamander and the blue cat.

Levy sighed with joy, taking a sip of the wine glass in front of her. The night was in full swing and everyone was having a good time! Mira had picked out the perfect surprise for the guild – a team retreat for everyone, courtesy of Master M. Erza was already starting to pack her suitcases and Wendy was excited for making sandcastles on the beach. On the new couple front, it appeared the Evergreen and Elfman were snogging in the corner, much to the chagrin of a few of the men and women in attendance. Levy thought they were cute and was excited for them. Juvia was attached to Gray, but what else was new? At least he didn't seem too annoyed by it and actually looked as if he was enjoying the attention. Natsu and Lucy continuously tiptoed around their feelings all night. Cana had her alcohol and was too busy competing with the Master to really give love a second thought. There was plenty of laugher. Plenty of love. Plenty of fun.

With a yawn, she bid farewell to her friends. It was time for her to retire for the night and open her own valentines.

By the time she had showered and settled into her bed, Levy had half a mind to wait until tomorrow to open them. Another yawn took her by surprise and so, she shoved the gifts onto her nightstand and turned off her light. Her eyes closed and sleep took her quickly.

* * *

She only awoke when her doorbell rang.

"Huh?"

Levy bolted awake, sitting straight up in her bed and rubbing her eyes. The doorbell rang again.

"Who's there? I'm coming!"

She grabbed her glasses, just in case, and made her way down the hall to her front door. The doorbell rang for a third time as she reached the handle and pulled it open.

No one was there. A little box waited for her instead.

Decorated with the prettiest black and red colored paper she'd ever seen, Levy was immediately curious as to what was in the box. She let it sit in the palm of her hand as she backed inside her home. She wanted to open it immediately – but she was also too scared to do so. It felt important – this silly little box.

Curiosity got the best of her though. With a deep breath, she untied the pretty ribbon and slid the top off the box. A necklace waited for her inside.

Decorated with the prettiest medal work that she'd ever seen, a bright orange jewel (her favorite color!) was surrounded by an iron frame. On the back, an inscription had been made.

 _To Levy:_

 _Will you be my valentine?_

It appeared there was more underneath, but she wasn't sure what it said. Assuming it was just the way the medal was, she rushed to the door and threw it open. Shouting into the night, Levy gave her reply.

"Thank you for my gift!"

Silence greeted her. She received no response.

"I don't know who you are, but….of course! I will be your Valentine!"

She smiled into the darkness, grasping the necklace and holding it to her chest. She wondered who could have given her something so beautiful. She'd wear it forever.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Okay, here's the first part of prompt #2! I hope you guys enjoy it! 3

Next Prompt: I Love You - Part #2.


	3. Chapter 3

**Gajevy/GaLe Week Prompt #2: I Love You (Part 2 of 2)**

* * *

He'd always portrayed himself as "tough" - always looking at the ladies instead of really dedicating himself to one. Even before his days in Fairytail – as he grew into the man that he was today – he'd never told anyone that those three important words of "I love you." That remained true until Valentine's Day of this year.

Gajeel had concocted this plan days ago. It was during his last mission with Levy (where he discovered just how loudly she snored) that he'd had the brilliant idea. But he'd need some help and the morning after they returned to Fairytail, he was seeking out the two people that could give him those answers.

* * *

"So…are you getting Levy anything for Valentine's Day?"

Droy asked Jet as they were eating lunch. Of course he was getting Levy something. Droy just didn't understand how far Jet's love for their friend went. He knew that he cared about her since the day that they met. He'd go to the end of the earth to make sure she was happy, to make sure she was taken care of, and to make sure she was always safe. Jet sighed in the direction of his friend, giving him a wry smirk as he took a bite of his sandwich.

"Of course I am. Aren't you?"

It was a stupid question – of course, Droy was getting Levy something for Valentine's Day. Jet knew it – they did the same thing every year. It was almost a competition between the three of them – who would could get the others to laugh more than the rest? Of course, there was also a sentimental gift shared between them. Levy was good at those things. But this year…this year would be different.

"Oh yeah? What are you getting her?"

"Something nice. What are you getting her?"

"Something even nicer."

The two looked at each other with grins on their faces before they laughed heartily. A moment passed and they chatted lightly for a few moments. Valentine's Day was tomorrow and the day after they were taking a job as a complete team again. Jet and Droy both missed the days when Levy had been with them – the years she had been gone had taken a toll on them both.

A dark shadow pulled them from their conversation, causing both of them to look up a bit startled.

"Can…can we help you?"

They asked in unison as Gajeel dropped down next to them at the table. Lily followed along, giving them both curt nods as he took a seat too. Gajeel was silent for a few moments, pondering his choice of words wisely.

"Yeah. You both can help me. I need some information."

His statement caused both Jet and Droy to look at one another questioningly. What information could they possess that Gajeel wanted from them?

"Uh…well…okay. What did you need to know?"

Jet asked cautiously. Gajeel was becoming a more familiar face to them. Levy had taken a liking to the iron dragon slayer and even though they butted heads from time to time, the other members of Team Shadowgear were starting to accept him more and more. But Gajeel had never approached them when Levy wasn't around. This was new.

Gajeel waited a few more moments before he finally decided to ask his questions.

"Levy. She mentioned that she needed something for an upcoming job and I can help her out."

Gajeel paused momentarily. He hoped that this line was pretty believable.

"Do ya know what her favorite color is?"

Jet and Droy both looked at each other before shrugging their shoulders.

"Yeah, everyone knows Levy's favorite color is orange."

* * *

He'd run into her that morning. She'd been putting up her Valentine's in everyone's boxes. Gajeel remembered the other members telling him that she did that every year. Levy was such a kind hearted individual. Gajeel admired her for that, although he'd never let on that deep down he was kind of a softy. Being soft was a sign of being weak and he couldn't let anyone think that he was weak. It wouldn't be good for his image.

He'd been nervous and had started gabbing after he bumped into her. Honestly, Gajeel couldn't remember what he had said. Not that it mattered anyway – Levy hadn't said more than two words to him before she was hauled away by some of the other girls helping the She Devil. It made Gajeel shiver for a moment as he thought about Mira. Damn, that bitch was crazy – he certainly hoped he'd never meet her in a dark alley.

He'd noticed the small box in his own cubby, but part of him was convinced it was just a nice gesture from Juvia. They'd always been rather close with one another, even during their Phantom days. A smile tilted his lips upwards and he told himself that he would thank the Rain Woman a little later that day. Gray didn't know what he was missing out on when it came to Juvia. She was truly something else.

The box that Gajeel had been holding brought his task back to mind. He'd almost forgotten that there had been a reason for this minor visit in the guild hall. He'd wanted to ensure that Levy got her gift when everyone else did. Gajeel had all of these grand plans of telling her that he thought she was special, but as he stood there in front of the cubbies, watching other guild members come up and place Valentine's in them for other members, he suddenly changed his mind. His image would be ruined if this was a public event and he certainly didn't want to embarrass himself or Levy if his feelings weren't reciprocated. Holding onto the black and red box, he grabbed Lily and told him they needed to go train. Burning off some steam would certainly help him think.

* * *

Jet and Droy saw him standing there looking a little confused. They hadn't missed the fact that his fingers were clutching a boxed gift and hovering in front of the cubby titled "Levy McGarden". Looking at one another, a sad but sweet expression crossed their faces. Boy, if they weren't suckers for love. Both of them knew that Levy didn't look at them the same way that she had looked at Gajeel. Their relationship was different and even though it made them sad to realize this, both men knew that Levy's happiness was what really mattered. So they ran after Gajeel, giving him a great idea. Jet and Droy just hoped to god that he wouldn't fuck it up.

Dragon slayers. They never did anything right.

* * *

Gajeel had waited most of the party for a sign that Levy was about to leave. Jet and Droy had mentioned that she preferred to look through her Valentines at home rather than in public like the other guild members. A yawn escaped her and Gajeel couldn't help but smile to himself. She was cuter than she would ever know.

He made sure that she made it home safely. It made him nervous when he found out that she often walked home late at night from the guild library alone. Gajeel knew the route to her house so well that he could follow it in his sleep. He made sure that if she stayed late in the library, he'd be there to escort her home. It was a surprise that she'd never picked up on anything strange about it. He watched as she entered her house, rubbing her eyes that were already heavy with sleep. Nerves wrecked his body – he needed to "man up" and just do it already. Several attempts were made to knock on her door, but each time he came close, Gajeel wasn't sure if he was ready for it.

She slept then and a smile appeared on his lips as he remembered their adventures together. The box that held a special gift remained in his hands. He'd put a lot of thought into the necklace and made it with his own fingers. A sweet orange lacrima dangled in the center, enclosed by an iron setting that he had felt was perfect for Levy. On the back, he'd discretely asked her to be his valentine, followed by an inscription in his language – the language of the dragons. Relatively unknown in today's world, he knew that she wouldn't be able to read it. Hell, he wondered if she would even think anything of it, it was written so small.

But Gajeel knew it was there and he knew that the words "I Love You" would be more terrifying said than they were written.

With a deep breath, he ran up to the doorstep of her home, ringing the doorbell that he'd been scared of moments before. He didn't hear any movements, so he pushed the button twice more. At the sound of the handle, he dove into the bushes next to the building. He'd come so far, but he still wasn't ready to face her with the truth yet. He watched her through the leaves, finding his breath catching as she appeared in an oversized sweatshirt and messy bed head. He'd never be able to get that image out of his mind – not for a long time.

* * *

His smile hadn't disappeared by the time he got to his home. Lily waited up for him and was thoroughly confused by the happiness that radiated from the dragon slayer. Perhaps he had finally beaten Natsu. The thought caused Lily to shrug and go back to his reading.

"Don't forget to open your Valentines, Gajeel."

Lily called to him. Gajeel acknowledged the Exceed with a nod and proceeded up to his room. Sitting on the bed, he opened the few cards he had gotten. His popularity among the guild members was still growing, but he'd been pleased to find something from Lucy, Cana, and even Salamander and the Blue Cat. It was kind of them, and although he had felt like an outcast in the beginning, they started to make him feel like he was at home. His last letter was in a blue envelope. The card was also blue and signed in a blue ink. It appeared that Juvia had decided not to do gifts for him this year, which made the question of who and what pop in his mind as he looked at the box.

Slowly, he slipped his finger under the wrapping of the gift, sliding it so that it ripped to reveal the box itself underneath. He looked at it for a moment, still pondering who could have given him a gift. But his answer was soon revealed as he lifted the top of the box and discovered a pair of earplugs.

 _To Gajeel:_

 _I thought these would come in handy next time._

 _Happy Valentine's Day._

 _Love,_

 _Levy 3_

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Ahh! Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favs, everyone! Truly impressed with myself for going this strong for this long - seriously, three posts in three days is great! 3 I'm a bit behind on Gajevy week, but that's okay. I'll be completing them regardless of what day I end them on.

I'd love to get more feedback! Please let me know if you see any errors or have any comments on the content.

Next Prompt: Family.


	4. Chapter 4

**Gajevy/GaLe Week: Prompt #3 - Family**

 _Note: I think the actual prompt is for parenthood, but seeing as my story isn't going in the direction right now, I'm adjusting it to family. Enjoy!_

* * *

"Oh. My. God. Guys, look at this one!"

It was time that they took a job together. She'd been putting priority elsewhere and Levy was starting to get concerned that Jet and Droy would think that she hated them or something. She'd never want them to think that – they were two of her very best friends! She could talk to them about anything – er, almost anything. Girl talk was still exclusively a Lucy topic and Levy was glad she had her to run to when she needed to. Especially about this whole "liking Gajeel" stuff. It was stressful just thinking about it.

"Hey, this is perfect!"

"Yeah, let's do it!"

Her partners faces showed excitement. They were rearing to get going and it made Levy wonder how many jobs the pair took without her. It made her sad when she thought about the seven years that they had gone, missing her every day, wondering if she was ever going to come back or worse – died. Being a part of the magical community wasn't always the safest thing. Prior to getting stuck on that godforsaken island, Levy remembered times when other guild members had gotten seriously hurt. Hell, she hadn't been safe from on the job injuries either. Then there was that time that Gajeel…..Well, Levy liked to forget that he used to be a part of a rival guild at one point. Those memories were best forgotten.

After all – Gajeel was part of Fairytail now. That made him family. Just like Jet and Droy and Lucy.

"Alright guys! Let's go grab our things! I'm ready to leave and do this, just like the old days!"

Levy was hopping around the guild hall with excitement. Sure, they'd been on a few missions together since her return, but this one actually looked to be a bit challenging. It was going to be awesome and it paid quite a bit of money too!

* * *

It wasn't long before the trio was on a train heading south toward Hargeon. They'd decided early on that once they finished the job, they would head over to Akane Beach and utilize those resort tickets they'd gotten for Valentine's Day. A bunch of the other guild members were heading that way as well, so it was likely that they would meet up with them once the job was completed. Lucy had promised Levy that they would have a "girls' day" with the others – Wendy and Erza were both excited to get their nails painted!

"Bye Luc!" Levy had called to her friend prior to leaving the building. "Don't get into too much trouble without me!"

Of course, there would be no telling what kind of trouble Natsu would get her into while Team Shadowgear was out in the field.

* * *

A glint of orange caught Droy's eye as he sat on the train with Jet and Levy. He'd been a bit quiet, mainly because he was hungry and that always made him a little grouchy. He didn't want to ruin the mood and he didn't want to ask for food – most of the things they had on the train for snacks couldn't be found on his special diet plan, given to him by Reedus.

Stupid diet. He thought to himself, but the glint of the orange appearing on the soft skin between Levy's breasts kept catching his eye. Levy, noticing the stare down that Droy was giving her, blushed a deep red and cleared her throat.

"Um…Droy? Is there something wrong?"

Levy looked at him, confused at his outright looks at her breasts. It wasn't like him – he'd never been so obvious about it before.

"What?" Droy looked up at Levy for a moment, just as confused as she appeared to be. But it finally dawned on him that the orange glint hadn't been in the most appropriate area of her body. He felt like a pig, although his intentions were hardly sexual in nature.

"Oh, no, don't think that, Levy!" He exclaimed. Jet gave him a sharp glare before Droy started to explain. "I was just wondering if you figured out who gave you the necklace. It kept catching in the sun and I just wanted to let you know that it looks nice on you."

Levy had been wondering the same thing. Actually, she was half convinced that it had been one of them that had given it to her.

"Oh – well, I thought it was one of you guys. You did get this for me, right?"

Levy pulled the long chain out from behind her shirt, letting it dangle down her front. It was a long chain, one that could easily hide whatever was attached to it behind her clothing, which was exactly what she was doing. As she'd promised that night, she'd worn it for the last two days, only taking it off when she slept. But when Levy looked at the faces of her partners, she realized rather quickly – neither of them had gotten it for her.

"Look, as much as I'd like to take credit for this, it wasn't me." Jet stated, crossing his arms.

"And I know I definitely didn't get it for you. I got you that new language book that you have been raving about for the last three weeks." Droy puffed out his chest proudly. Levy smiled at them both. Their gifts had both been sweet – but honestly, she thought they had pulled together and did this for her. It seemed like something they would do. It was a sweet, kind gesture, and honestly, who was sweeter and kinder than these two?

"Huh. That's curious then." Levy's hand grasped the jewel at the bottom. It seemed to warm at her touch.

A whistle sounded, alerting the trio that a stop was coming soon. "Hargeon! Up ahead! Prepare for stop!"

* * *

That night, they stayed in a quaint hotel. The guys had gone out of their way to secure two rooms so that Levy could have one to herself. They were right next door though, just in case she needed something in the middle of the night. She appreciated the thought and bid them goodnight shortly after they'd had dinner. A bath was on her mind and she had to mentally prepare herself for this job. Her skills would be necessary tomorrow. A cursed book and someone playing with magic they didn't understand? No problem, right?

Her body enjoyed the hot water as it caressed her skin. She'd left the necklace on and felt it bobbing up and down under the bubbles. She wrapped her hand around it, pulling it up to the surface so that she could look at it. It was beautiful – perfect in every aspect. She ran her fingers over the inscription. It made her smile.

* * *

Jet and Droy were truly the loves of her life, weren't they? She could rely on them for just about anything. She'd never have to worry about them flaking on her or going off somewhere and leaving her behind. They were two of a kind and she was so lucky to have them. Her mind flashed back to when they had first met one another. Three small kids without too many friends. They'd all joined around the same time and Levy had immediately taken a liking to them. The older they got, the better they could control their magical skills and when Jet and Droy decided to go out on their first job together, they immediately trailed after Levy.

"Hey you!" Levy remembered hearing from behind her as she walked with a handful of books. "You're Levy, right?"

She smiled brightly – they'd remembered her name! "Yeah, that's me! Do you need help with something?"

"Actually, Master said we're ready for our first job alone. I know you've been out with some of the older members, but how would you like to come with us?"

"You…You want me to come with you?"

"Well, yeah." Jet had said with a bright smile. "We've seen you out training and your magic looks pretty awesome. I think we'd make a good team. Plus, you like the color orange and that makes anyone cool in my book." He'd given her a wink after and the rest was history. It had been the day that Team Shadowgear had been born and the day that she knew that she'd met her lifelong best friends – her family.

* * *

Levy sighed and slid deeper into the bath. She had met so many amazing people during her time in Fairytail. God, she was so lucky! Lucy was like the sister that she'd never had. Natsu made her laugh all the time. Erza acted more like her mother than anyone else, and then there was Gajeel.

Gajeel, who made her warm on the inside and threw her for a loop whenever he said something nice to her. He'd hurt her – back when he wasn't in their guild, but he'd never scared her like so many of the other members thought he had. Levy was a small force of nature – she wasn't frightened of anything. She couldn't be. Her size and her strength gave her a slight disadvantage, but she was full of heart and that usually made up for most of her short comings. When Gajeel had taken an attack from Laxus, just to prevent her from getting hit, she knew that she had nothing to fear from him.

Her mind wandered back to that day and to the conversation she'd had with Jet and Droy afterwards.

"That wasn't very nice of you two." Levy pointed her fingers at them, furious that they could treat another member of their guild that way. "You don't understand what he's been through and what he's going through, and yet you two immediately start giving him grief? We're Fairytail wizards, for Christ's sake! Don't act like you don't have any pride or respect for that!"

"But Levy, out of all of us, you're the one who should be the most upset with him! You should have turned him into a lobster the minute you had the chance!"

"Yeah, he hurt you!"

Levy shook her head. "He's human. He's fucking human and he made a goddamn mistake!"

* * *

In her tub, Levy sighed again, sliding even deeper and letting her eyes flutter closed. She'd been protecting Gajeel since that day, standing up for him whenever the opportunity presented itself. He probably didn't even know about it.

A crash from the boys' room sent her to her feet. She could hear voices being raised as an argument broke out. Rushing, she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her naked body, her hair wet and sticking her back. She didn't even get the chance to drain the tub.

"HEY. YOU LOSERS TOOK MY JOB!" A deep voice stated, angry by the sounds of it.

"YOUR JOB!? WE PICKED THIS ONE OUT OURSELVES!" Another voice cried out, probably that of Droy.

"YEAH YOU JERK! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU FOLLOWED US HERE OVER A JOB! GET OVER IT, ASSHOLE!"

Levy couldn't stop herself. She threw open the attached door and stepped inside the room.

"What in the hell is going on….!"

Her mind stop working. Gajeel. He was standing right there about to annihilate Jet and Droy. Levy, in a state of shock, vaguely felt her grip loosen on the towel.

"Oh shit."

"Hi Levy."

"Shrimp."

All three of the boys turned their backs, immediately forgetting their argument over the job once her revealing form entered the room. Levy's mouth was opening and closing, but no words could be formed. She realized that the towel was dipping, exposing the top of her breast, so she clutched it to her tightly. The movement caused the necklace to move from behind the cloth, out into the public eye. Levy quickly gained her composure, her finger shooting to Jet and Droy quickly.

"You and You. Rude. Uncalled for. Watch your language. I'll handle this – get rest, you'll need it."

She was angry – more because if Gajeel hadn't shown up, she probably wouldn't feel this embarrassed.

"YOU." Her eyes landed on Gajeel. "IN MY ROOM. NOW."

* * *

God, Shrimp was a piece of work, wasn't she? He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as she turned her back and stomped out of Jet and Droy's room. He hadn't been certain that she would have been here, but honestly, he'd hoped that luck was on his side when he had made the decision to come after them. He knew that it would get him into trouble – hijacking a job like this – but something rubbed him the wrong way about the flier. He'd even said so to Makarov himself.

"Gajeel. It's fine. Don't worry about the job."

That had gotten a cold look from the Iron Dragon Slayer.

"Fine. If you don't like how it sounds, then maybe you should go with them."

And thus, his plan had been formed, although he had to admit, there was probably a better way for him to announce his presence. At least this way, Jet and Droy wouldn't feel like he'd insulted their manhood. Just that there had been some confusion as to who was taking the job back at the guild. That was all.

But damn, Levy sure was cute when she was pissed off. He'd done as he was told, lowering his head to hide his smile the whole damn way. He waited – expecting her to rip into him at any moment, and when that moment finally came, he straightened his back and prepared to look threatening. Except that was impossible. Because Levy was a girl. And she was standing in nothing but a towel and the damn necklace he'd made for her.

Her blush wasn't missed either. Gajeel imagined that she was probably ridiculously embarrassed at the whole situation. She seemed like a bit of a prude, in his opinion. He bet that she'd never been naked around anyone – not even the other girls at the guild. His inner dragon liked that about her. He wanted to be the only to ever see her naked, at least in an intimate setting.

"….AND TO THINK THAT I THOUGHT YOU WERE A GOOD GUY!"

Whoa. He'd totally missed all of her lecture. Where had his mind been? Oh yeah – boobs.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD COME ALL THIS WAY JUST TO TAKE AWAY OUR JOB, WHICH WE TOOK FAIR AND SQUARE!"

Levy was pacing at this point and she was going to burn a hole in the carpet if she wasn't careful.

"Look, shortstack –"

"Gajeel, I don't need you to use those goddamn pet names right now, because lord help me, I'm this close to kicking all three of your asses!"

"FINE. Look, Levy – I only came because Mira told me that the job was still open. So I'd bought my train ticket and was on my way when I overheard Bunny girl telling me that Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum…" He pointed his finger toward the joined door. "Were out doing this damn job. So I'm here to let you know that I'm doing it too."

"Don't you dare call them names, Gajeel!" She was going to hit him. He could see her fists clenching. Had he finally figured out what pushed Levy's buttons?

"And you know what, SHORTSTACK – I am a damn good guy. You watch. You'll need me tomorrow." A serious smirk popped up on his face. "My room is down the hall if you need anything. We leave at 8am so make sure those two know."

He walked to the door, pausing to toss her one last thing over his shoulder.

"That's a nice necklace you got there. Goes great with your hair and your lack of clothes."

Checkmate.

* * *

Levy had to take a few deep breaths after Gajeel left. She punched a pillow and toss another one across the room. Who the hell did he think he was? Barging in on a job like that? As if they couldn't handle their own or something? She'd believe that there was a mix up with the guild jobs when there were actually more jobs on the board. There were so few these days that it was hard to mess up who was going where. EVERYONE knew everyone else's business.

Levy walked over to the door that joined her room to the boys'.

"8AM. WE'RE LEAVING. AND YES. GAJEEL IS COMING WITH US."

Her ears heard several groans followed by "Fucking dragon slayer" and "why does he always ruin our fun?" Levy couldn't help but smile to herself. She was glad that they were all on the same page.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Okay, so I took a different spin on this one. Levy, although petite, looks like she can pack quite a bit of punch when she's angry to me. I can't wait to see how this job goes, can you?

As always, thank you so much for the reviews! They've been wonderfully positive so far and I love hearing your thoughts! I've been debating dragging the story out past the prompts, so we'll see what I can come up with!

Next Prompt: Forbidden


	5. Chapter 5

**Gajevy/GaLe Week: Prompt #4 - Forbidden**

 _As much as I love this prompt, I only mention the word forbidden once. However, this will continue to be an ongoing theme - just so I can make up for the crappy post today. Sorry in advance if this seems a bit scattered!_

* * *

Something snapped inside of her as she tasted the blood that dripped into her mouth.

Levy had watched as her friends were taken out of the equation within the first few minutes of the confrontation with the dark wizard that stood before her. She knew that she shouldn't have told Gajeel to take the backseat with this one, but her pride had almost necessitated it. He was so goddamn arrogant! But Levy had to show him that she wasn't a weakling either – she packed a pretty punch when she needed to, and people often mistook her for lacking in her magical abilities. Sure, she was no dragon slayer, but she was Levy fucking McGarden and she knew EXACTLY what do when she got herself into a bind. It was why she had been picked to test for S-Class.

"Oh you foolish little girl…" The wicked voice surrounded her as Levy tried to pinpoint the wizard's exact location. "You think you can beat me? You're not worthy of that reward, I'm afraid."

Levy had her back against a wall, bracing herself for the attack she knew was coming. Her body had already taken quite a beating, but this attack….It would only hurt for a few moments – she hoped anyway. Illusion magic wasn't pretty. It was exactly why her teammates were struggling. They hadn't realized what had hit them in the beginning. Levy, always expecting the unexpected, was able to overcome the challenge of seeing what the others couldn't at first. The only way to break the illusions thrown at her was to realize that they were just that – illusions. But Jet and Droy couldn't get passed the images that were placed before them, and so Levy knew that she had no one else to rely on but herself. Part of her wished there was a way to communicate with Gajeel – to get him to help her beat this stupid, bitchy illusionist and get that spell book out of her hands. But it appeared that Levy had to do this on her own.

Great.

"Think?" Levy spat a mouth full of blood that had started to pool on her tongue. "I KNOW I can beat you!" Her fists clenched and Levy started to come up with a list of spells that she could utilize against this wizard.

A dark laugh pierced through the air as Levy attempted to cast her magic.

"Stupid girl."

"Solid Script: Fi….!"

* * *

Images started to change before her eyes as she was transported to the very place that she had called home. The guild stood before her – the large building was exactly the way she had remembered it in memories. She saw familiar faces, but they were younger. It was obviously an attempt to take Levy back in time.

"Hey you!" A young boy called to her, and Levy turned to find that it was none other than Jet himself. A younger version of the dark haired Droy followed along behind him, smirks of no good on their faces. "You're Levy, right?"

Joy filled her heart. They had remembered her name! A voice that she couldn't control escaped her.

"Yeah! That's me!"

"Hahahaha! You're nothing but a four-eyed loser!" Levy felt herself lurch forward as one of them pushed her into the mud. "Master M. asked us to take you on this job, but you'll just get in our way. You'll never be good enough for Team Shadowgear!"

"Yeah! Keep out of our way and try not to get paired up with us next time. We don't want you!"

A sob escaped her shocked lips. How could they? How could they be so cruel?

 _Levy – it's just an illusion._ Her voice – her adult voice – rang out strongly in her head. It was a bit later that Levy would realize that she was physically talking and calming herself down, trying to find ways to defeat the illusions corrupting her mind.

* * *

Her scenery changed again, and this time, Levy found herself with entire guild waiting to hear who would be picked to test for S-Class this year. Levy had trained so hard for this. She knew there were other members in the guild who probably deserved it more than she did, but damn, she'd done her best to take on as many jobs and gain as much experience as she could to better herself and her skills. Names like Natsu and Cana rang out around her, and Levy chewed her nails, waiting anxiously as the last names were called.

"Juvia!"

"Elfman!"

"Freed!"

One more, one more, one more! She had to be it! She had to be it!

"And well…we've had a last minute change."

Huh? Was that even allowed?

"Yeah, due to the concerns from some of the guild members about the quality of wizard we were letting test, our final choice will no longer be Levy McGarden. Instead, Lucy Heartfilia will take her place."

What? WHAT!

Levy's mind started to race. "That's…that's not fair!" Her own voice startled her, but her emotions did not. Levy knew that she deserved it! Not that Lucy wasn't a great wizard or an asset to the guild, but Levy had done everything she was asked to. How could they just change their decision like that at the last minute? And even if it was a legal thing to do, why in the hell would they tell the entire guild about it?

 _Levy – It's just an illusion._ Yes, yes. It was. It had to be. Her time on Tenrou Island could not be easily forgotten.

* * *

A shift of the background and there she was again. Standing in a dark room that looked vaguely familiar, Levy looked around her and spotted the book she had been tasked with finding. Walking toward it, she called for her teammates.

"Jet! Droy! I've found it!"

She didn't wait for them to respond. Instead, she placed a hand on the dark leather of the binding, smiling to herself at a job well done. They had defeated the enemy, hadn't they? It was a glorious fight but no one had gotten hurt.

"Guys! Yes! We did it! We really did it! Eat that, Gajeel!"

Levy jumped up for joy, tucking the book under her arm and turning toward the door. She'd make it back to the guild, turn in all of the necessary paperwork, and show everyone that she was stronger than they all thought. She was big, just like Gajeel had promised she would be one day.

Except something was off. And then she saw the red that appeared out of nowhere. Eyes. His eyes.

"Levy." The voice was dark and exotic. She'd fallen in love with that voice and there were butterflies that sprang to life inside of her as he spoke her name. Fuck, she was a mess when it came to Gajeel. But Levy was feeling brave. Perhaps it was time to tell him how she felt about him.

"Gajeel! Look! We didn't need your help after all! See? You were all wrong last night!"

"Geeheehee. Good job, Sweetheart."

Levy watched as her strong dragon slayer approached her, his movements slow, yet purposeful. "But I hate to break it to you. I don't like to be proven wrong." His voice took on a wicked turn and Levy was reminded of just how powerful Gajeel truly was.

"You must like getting in my way, Shrimp. I guess you didn't learn your lesson the first time we met, did you?"

Huh? What was Gajeel saying? Sure, they'd gotten into a few bickering arguments. They might have exchanged heated comments from time to time. But they'd always gotten along. Gajeel was quickly becoming one of her closest friends – even Jet and Droy were starting to welcome him a bit more than they had in the beginning.

"Now, now. Don't look so fucking scared. You knew this would happen. You only let your feelings get in the way. How could you ever think that I'd ever let you love me? You certainly have a very romantic way of reading life, don't you, Levy?"

His gaze was making her uncomfortable, causing Levy to take a few steps away from him as he continued to advance.

"Forbidden romance. It would have been so sweet, huh? You thought things would work out so well. We'd fall in love. Have 2.5 children and live happily ever after in our own home. You'd go on jobs with your stupid boyfriends and I'd welcome you back with kisses and caresses and tell you just how wonderful you really are."

His hand clasped her upper arm and Levy was reminded once more of their first encounter. "Ga…Gajeel! What are you doing? Please….please stop!" She hadn't felt the tears brimming her eyes, but as she felt her body flying through the air, landing against the opposite side of the room, the tears started to escape her well-constructed dam. Levy had promised herself that Gajeel would never make her cry. Gajeel would never be the cause of her pain ever again.

"This isn't like you, Gajeel! You're not a bad person! I'm sorry for saying that to you last night. You're not a bad person! Please don't do this!"

* * *

They should have been done with this job a while ago. Gajeel paced back and forth in front of the building he had saw them enter. All four of them had gotten tips earlier that morning that the dark wizard they were searching for had taken up home within the building's walls. Fucking Levy and her determination to do this job with her friends alone. He hadn't been able to tell her no. She held too much power over him – her and those goddamn brown eyes of hers.

Fuck. He was done waiting on them to finish up. It just wasn't sitting in his stomach well.

"Alright, you losers. Where in the hell is…." Gajeel stopped short once he entered the main foyer. Jet and Droy were both crouched over, their eyes clouded with what appeared to be magic of some sort.

"Yo. Where's the Shrimp?"

He tried to shake Droy to reality first, but no dice.

He tried to shake Jet next, but again, there was no help for those two. At least, no help as of yet. He'd find a way to reverse the magic. He'd get to the source and make sure that it paid for whatever pain it was causing them. But Gajeel knew he had a bigger problem on his hands.

"Shrimp! Sweetheart! I'm coming for ya and ya better not be pushin' my goddamn buttons anymore this trip!" He took off at a sprint, heading through a hallway and down a set of stairs into what appeared to be the basement. Standing with her back turned toward him, Gajeel saw the wizard they were after and all it took was one simple miscalculation on her part to bring about the end of her little charade.

"Ya got me playing some knight in shining armor shit. Levy's over there mumblin' about and looking like she saw death with her own eyes. You got her two lackeys upstairs in what looks like a fucking food coma, and there's nothing you can do to stop me from kickin' yer ass for all of it!"

He hadn't missed Levy, who was pressed as close to a wall as she could get. She looked terrified and Gajeel noticed a hand print about the size of his very own on her upper arm. It would make for a nasty bruise – he wondered to himself how she had gotten it.

It wasn't long before Gajeel had taken care of the pest that had damaged his friends. He figured out quickly that illusions were cast on all of them, and all he'd have to do is take out the magic wielder to get rid of them. Jet and Droy were running down the stairs loudly as he finally approached Levy.

"Heya, Shortstack! You okay?"

She was wide eyed and flinched as he reached out to touch her.

"Now is that anyway to great someone who just saved your life?" Gajeel gave Levy a silly smirk as he did his best to calm her. It wasn't working.

Levy whimpered and tried to get away from him. His grip was strong on her arm, however, and Levy wasn't able to process the difference from the illusions she had experienced and what was happening in real life. Without more than two words, she swung her fist with all her might, colliding with Gajeel's eye and causing him to mumble curses as he stumbled away from her.

"You hurt me, you son of a bitch!" She screamed, determined to not let anything else harm her. "You hurt me once, then you had to go and do it again! How sick and twisted are you?" Her face was stained with tears that had previously fallen.

"And Jet and Droy? What did you do with them? Did you hurt them again too? I trusted you! You promised, Gajeel!" She was broken. He didn't know what to do to fix her. She needed time, perhaps. But Gajeel just wanted to make sure she was okay.

"Levy, what are you talking about? I just got here! I haven't touched you!"

"Hey -!"

"What is going on down there?"

"Gajeel! Is Levy okay?"

The blunette's eyes widened with recognition. Jet! Droy! Holy shit, they were okay and they were coming to save her from this mad man in front of her!

"Don't get too close to her. I don't think she's quite realized what happened." Gajeel warned Jet and Droy, but neither of them heeded his warning. Instead, they rushed over to Levy, pulling her into their arms and surrounded her with love, kindness, and warmth of friendship. Gajeel watched as Levy practically collapsed into them – her mind was so broken and she needed to recover. He heard her sobs of how she thought that Jet and Droy hated her. He heard her talk about how she was told she wasn't good enough – worthy enough - to obtain an S-Class ranking.

And then…Gajeel, as he turned his head and walked up the stairs, heard her mutter the very words that he was afraid of.

"Gajeel told me I wasn't good enough. And then…he….I trusted him. I trusted him so much…."

If only she knew how good enough she truly was.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Okay guys, so I took this one from a different angle. I really wanted to try something new and I've never written anything like this before. I don't know if I'm completely satisfied with it, but I tend to overthink on my posts. You don't even want to know how many times I tried to write this and decided to start all over. Anyway, I definitely had to push myself outside the box. I hope it's not too terrible!

This story will definitely get to continue outside of Gajevy week. There's so many things that these two need to talk about - their feelings about one another, how they are going to deal with building Levy's trust back up from previous events, and what the hell they're going to do about their groupies while they enjoy a few private moments alone.

Trust me, we'll get some mushy stuff within the next post or two. Don't give up on me yet. It's my favorite part of any story! Haha!

As always reviews and recommendations are welcome! I love to hear what you have to say!

Next Prompt: Council (which should be a pretty easy one after this mess!)


	6. Chapter 6

**Gajevy/GaLe Week: Prompt #5 - Council**

 _Okay, another play on this one. Instead of pulling on the "council" storyline that we all know and love, I took this in a different direction. I hope you can understand how I played the word council into this in more ways than one!_

* * *

It took him a while to come to terms with what had transpired. After their altercation with the dark wizard in Hargeon, Gajeel wasn't really feeling the whole "vacation" thing. But after some convincing from Lily, who met him the day after the job was completed, Gajeel changed his mind. Perhaps he needed to get over this crap and just pull himself together already. His eye was shining with a nice black bruise. It would be the first thing that he'd ask Wendy to take care of once he met up with everyone. He hadn't talked to Team Shadowgear since his departure, but he knew that they would be heading to the beach along with half the guild. Gajeel was sure he'd have a lot of explaining to do, but what else was new?

"Ay, Gajeel – do you see how nice this place is?" Lily practically had tears in his eyes. The guild had not slacked off when it came to their housing arrangements at the resort. "I can't believe that we get to stay here!"

Gajeel barely registered Lily's comments. He was too absorbed with his own thoughts to care about those of others. His mind continued to reply the scene that had happened only hours ago – the look of angry fear on Levy's face, the way her fist had connected with his cheekbone, and the feeling of defeat that washed through him as she relied on her friends instead of letting him help her. Was he as useless as he honestly felt? Was he the one who was not worthy of her attention?

"Gajeel. Earth to Gajeel!" Lily's fingers snapped in front of his face and Gajeel shook himself back into the moment. He hadn't really said much to Lily, so it was obvious that his friend's concern would be apparent in that moment. "Care to share? Or is this something I should keep my paws out of?" Gajeel grunted in response.

"Yeah. This place is pretty nice, cat."

* * *

"You mean…you mean, we're still gonna go!?"

Levy didn't miss the excitement in Jet's voice as she tossed her backpack on her bed. They'd had quite a night after the job was finished. Levy had dealt with a lot of guilt in the hours since she had finally let her mind uncloud and right itself. Her stomach was in knots, and while Jet and Droy slept their nightmares away, Levy had tried to find Gajeel. She had to apologize. She hadn't meant to harm him. But alas, her attempts were fruitless. Gajeel had reconnected with the Exceed Patherlily and had continued on his way toward their vacation destination. The other guild members would be there before Team Shadowgear stepped foot into the hotel. She'd never have the chance to talk to him and make things right now.

"Yeah!" Levy's voice was an attempt at sounding bright and pumped about the trip. "We got the job done. Now we need to celebrate and enjoy being back together!" Her smile didn't touch her eyes, though. It would take a lot of apologizing and talking for her to get back to her old cheerful self.

* * *

"Whoa! Look at that shiner on Gajeel!"

Natsu hovered around the Iron Dragon Slayer as if he were Gajeel's number one fan. It was odd to Gajeel that a squirt like Natsu could be so obsessed with fighting that he was completely oblivious to the way that Lucy had been looking at him for the past hour. Instead of trying to figure out what was going on with his partner, Natsu had followed Gajeel around as if he were the greatest thing since sliced bread. Oye. He was annoying as fuck.

"Look, Flame Brain, can't you see I'm trying to enjoy myself alone?" Gajeel sighed and pushed a pair of dark sunglasses over his eyes. Of course, the ever blackening bruise was still slightly apparent, but at least this way, the sun was out of his eyes. Everyone, with a few exceptions, had taken up residence at one of the larger pools at the resort. The sun was bright and Gajeel actually enjoyed the kiss of its rays on his bare chest. How long had it been since he hadn't worried about a job being completed or the world being saved? Entirely too long, that's how.

"Enjoy yourself? You look miserable. Why don't you FIGHT ME!?"

Gajeel grunted before he took a sip of his drink. It was sweet and full of what could only be coconut. He'd traded in his standard beer for one of those frozen drinks that Erza kept bragging about – if Titania could get away with drinking one, so could the Iron Dragon Slayer. "Can't you see I'm a little busy not giving a shit, Natsu?"

"Mr. Gajeel! Mr. Natsu!" Wendy bounced up to them, her cute little head bobbing as she smiled brightly. "I heard you could use some help, Mr. Gajeel. May I take a look at your eye please?"

"What! Gajeel, you're going to have Wendy heal your eye? Talk about being a wuss!"

Gajeel had started to smile at Wendy before his gaze was jerked back to the pink haired menace next to him. "Salamander – what the hell did you say?" His reddened gaze bore into Natsu.

Needless to say, Gajeel didn't require Wendy's assistance with his eye. But he definitely knew someone who would in 3.5 seconds.

* * *

"Levy!"

Lucy's voice was the first thing she heard after waking up from her nap. Levy and the guys had gotten into the hotel early in the afternoon, but Levy had been so exhausted that she decided to opt for a nap in her room before joining the others.

"Time to wake up, sleepyhead!"

Levy felt the pressure of someone sitting on her bed next to her. With a yawn, she opened her eyes, pulling herself up on the bed after letting herself adjust to the light that had flicked on in her room.

"What time is it?"

"Dinnertime!"

"Lucy? Do I have to go?"

"What do you mean 'do you have to go'? Why wouldn't you want to indulge in the delicious food we have waiting on us?"

"Um…well…will Gajeel be there?"

Levy watched as realization finally dawned on Lucy's face. "Ooh, Levy. Are you afraid of being close to him? Why haven't you two just told each other the truth yet? You are making things so difficult."

"No, Lu-"

"I don't want to hear it, buttercup! Get your ass out of bed and let's get downstairs."

"But Lu-"

"No, Levy. I don't want to hear it!"

Lucy was fluttering around the room at this point, grabbing clothes for Levy to freshen up in.

"LUCY! LISTEN TO ME. Just please – stop and let me speak! It's important!"

Lucy paused, giving Levy a long look of disbelief. But what Levy had to say took Lucy by surprise. She'd never push her friend like this again – Lucy learned her lesson rather quickly.

"You've seen his eye, right? Gajeel, I mean. His eye. It's black, right? Well….Let me tell you how that happened."

* * *

After what seemed like hours later, Levy had confided in her trusted council. If anyone knew how to handle boy problems, it was Lucy and Levy knew that Lucy would never steer her in the wrong direction.

"Ah. Well – Levy this is tough one."

Levy's face fell at her friend's words. She knew it was tough. That was exactly why she couldn't go to dinner with everyone else tonight!

"But you can't keep avoiding him. You're in the same guild and you know, maybe it's a good thing that this happened. I mean, Gajeel – he's a bit 'rough', ya know? Maybe it's a sign that it just wasn't meant to be or something."

Levy's heart continued to sink into the cement pit that had held her hope. She'd held onto every last piece of it that she could, but Levy obviously had a lot of skeletons in her closet that needed to be addressed with her dragon slayer before she could admit her feelings to him. If only she had thought before she had struck him. If only she hadn't been so goddamn impulsive! Levy was convinced that Gajeel would never forgive her.

"Then again, this could be the break that you needed, Levy." Lucy nudged her friend, giving her a perky, hopeful smile. "Everything happens for a reason, right?"

"Yeah…." Levy looked at her feet as they dangled over the bed. "I guess they do. Thanks for listening, Lucy."

"That's what friends are for, Levy."

* * *

Dessert was on the table when Gajeel's nose flared to life. He'd never forget her scent – not in a million years. It had been lingering around the resort for the past few hours, which let him know that she was near. But now it was an overwhelming perfume that calmed his nerves and made him sigh as he took a bite of the chocolate mousse in the cup before him.

Levy.

"Ayyy, Levy! Congratulations are in order, right?"

"Yeah! Jet and Droy told us how you kicked that dark wizard's ass!"

"That's so manly!"

"Heck yeah, we knew you had it in you, Levy!"

"Way to go, Team Shadowgear!"

Gajeel kept his eyes lowered. He didn't want to take any of the credit, especially when he had been the reason why Levy had stumbled at the end of the fight. But he heard her clear her throat before she replied to the cries of congratulations around them.

"Aw, thanks guys! But really – it was all Gajeel. He's the real rockstar!"

Gajeel. She'd said his name and it was pure bliss coming from her lips. How he'd hoped she would say his name again! It appeared that she hadn't quite noticed that he was there – her eyes drifted passed everyone, until finally they landed on his face. Gajeel watched as Levy's eyes widened in surprise. She must have just realized how hard she had hit him.

 _That's right, Shrimp. I took that hit just for you._

* * *

Levy sat in Lucy's room surrounded by the other girls in the guild. It was nice to see them in such a relaxed atmosphere, but to be honest, Levy would have preferred being out on her own, trying to find Gajeel. God, she had to make things right between them. He'd only given her a curt nod in acknowledgement – the pain was so real in his eyes. They had been friends and as hard as Levy had tried to not push them and break the bond they had formed with one another, her actions after the fight had done more damage than she could have ever done otherwise.

"And that is Juvia's plan on how she's going to get Gray to kiss her! Juvia thinks she will be rather successful in this attempt. Juvia hopes that you will all wish her good luck on this endeavor!"

"Juvia, it sounds like a clearly thought out plan. I'm sure that Gray will respond accordingly."

"Just get him wasted and take advantage of him, Juvia. He already likes to run around half naked anyway. I doubt it would take much to get him a little tipsy. Here – take this flask. I think it'll help."

"Ah, love! It's my favorite! I just wish…well….you guys know what I wish. Natsu will never grow up and I'll never find someone suitable to be my boyfriend."

"Now, Lucy-chan, stop being so hard on yourself."

The girls continued to go back and forth about their crushes and ways they could get them to realize their true feelings for one another.

"Hey, what about you, Levy?"

"Yeah! Lucy and Cana told Juvia about your infatuation with the Iron Dragon. Juvia can help if you request it. Juvia has known him longer than all of the members in Fairytail."

"WHAT! Why was I not alerted to this development?"

"Erza, you don't need to know everything."

Levy blushed a deep red before she stood up to leave.

"As much as I'd love to spill my secrets, I'm not feeling quite like myself. I think I took a hit too hard yesterday while on the job."

A collective groan of disappointment escaped her friends and Levy couldn't help but smile to herself.

"Fine. But we shall continue this tomorrow. We are still keeping our engagement?"

"Yeah, Levy. Don't forget about Girls' Day tomorrow."

"We'll interrogate you then. Don't you fret."

* * *

Levy did yawn as she walked down the hallway. Her room was in the building across the courtyard and although everyone had offered to walk her, Levy insisted that she was together well enough to handle herself. She took a detour on her way though, pausing to sit on a bench under the stars and the moonlight. Her hand mindlessly wandered to the necklace that she'd gotten for Valentine's Day. Levy still hadn't figured out who it was from – but the warmth that escaped the lacrima in the middle made her feel safe and secure. It had to be from someone who cared about her. Someone who probably even loved her.

"You know, it isn't safe for little girls to be out this late at night."

A warm shiver ran up her spine at the sound of his voice.

"Little girls? It's a good thing there aren't any of those out here, don't you think?"

She could almost feel his smirk as he stood behind her.

His voice was lost after that. All he could do was stand there, watching her. Levy's hair waved in the soft breeze and Gajeel was lost in her scent. She was like heaven to him – an addiction that he hated to be away from.

"Gajeel." She said his name before she turned around to face him. "About yesterday, I…."

Gajeel felt his eyes narrow into a frown as she started her apology, but he quickly held his hand up to silence her. "Don't. I don't want to hear your apologies."

"But…Gajeel, please let me…"

"No."

Gajeel folded his arms over his chest. She had tossed the dagger into his chest and he had deserved it for hurting her.

"But Gajeel! Stop it! Stop being so stubborn! You're a pain in my ass, you know?! Just let me talk!"

Levy's nose was scrunched up in frustration and it took everything in Gajeel to force himself to walk away from her.

"Yeah. I know, Shrimp. But the thing is – If I wasn't a pain in your ass, who else would be? Besides, you said what you had to say yesterday. If you hadn't really meant it, you wouldn't have said it." He paused for just a few seconds, thinking about what he had to say and coming up with the words he needed to say it. "I've been thinkin' ya know – maybe….maybe it's best we keep things on a more professional level. I appreciate the thought, but I don't think I'll be needing these anymore." He stood next to her as she sat on the bench, her brown eyes looking up to him with questions and confusion as he reached down and placed something next to her.

"Goodnight, Levy."

* * *

That had not gone anything as she had planned. He hadn't even let her get any words out into the conversation. One look at him told her that he had completely shut her out. All the work she had done to break him down ever since they came back from Tenrou had been for nothing! A tear threatened to spill onto her cheek as she watched him walk away.

Lifting her arm to wipe it away, she noticed what he had placed on the bench next to her.

Earplugs – the ones she had made just for him for Valentine's Day.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Oh my god. The feels here. The fucking feels!

Sorry for the heartbreak. It had to happen! This definitely won't be an easy journey for them, but alas, the story must continue!

Looking toward the future, I'd love to have YOU, the reader, involved in the story. With Gajevy week coming to a close for me in two days, I'm going to be in desperate need for prompts! If you'd like, comment or PM me a word or phrase to help motivate me or direct me toward a particular theme in my future posts.

Thanks for the feedback so far! I can't wait to see what else happens with our favorites! Feel free to keep the reviews coming - I love to hear what you think about my story!

Next Prompt: Song (and yes, this might include a little 'Shooby Doo Bop' from our favorite up and coming musical sensation)!


	7. Chapter 7

**Gajevy/GaLe Week: Prompt #6 - Song**

 _There might be a little singing by Gajeel. Just a little. Enjoy!_

* * *

There was a collective groan as the ebony haired wizard took the stage. A few of the girls couldn't help but giggle as he spoke into the microphone. A few of them even swooned.

Perhaps one of these days, Gajeel would get the hint.

"This is song is dedicated to all you cool cats and chicks out there. Some of you may have heard it before. Enjoy."

The cacophony that was Gajeel's musical voice swam over them, and there were several individuals who cried out, claiming that it was worse than nails on a chalkboard. Gajeel didn't care. He never really cared what others thought about him. He was a one man show, and as long as he was enjoying himself, that was all that really fucking mattered. He didn't see Natsu or Gray or Elfman getting their asses up on the stage – Gajeel considered himself above them because of his confidence.

"Shooby. Shooby doo wop!"

Guild karaoke night. It was almost like a tradition and Levy knew that Gajeel would be there. He never missed it for anything, and he even went out of his way to ensure that his jobs were completed so he could be one of the first ones up on stage. It was almost like his birthday – if, you know, Gajeel actually had a birthday and enjoyed celebrating it.

* * *

Levy sat in the back of the smoky bar that housed the guild members that were vacationing. The resort had made a big deal out of the karaoke night and Levy was impressed with the décor of the place. Velvet curtains were tied on the sides of the stage. Small high top tables with stools were littered all over the place, offering a seat for those who wanted to watch the entertainment. Further back were booths and within them sat a handful of her guildmates, chatting away, and hoping to that Gajeel would back the fuck away from the microphone before their ears started to bleed.

"Levy…have you guys, uh…." Lucy started to question her, letting her eyes flutter down to her cocktail on the table. Levy didn't need to respond to her friend. Her facial expression had answered her enough.

After her encounter with Gajeel the night before, Levy had run back to Lucy's room, sobbing uncontrollably. Levy swore up and down that she was done with men – they were all stupid, weren't they!? Lucy had a hard time getting Levy to maintain her composure, but eventually, Lucy had done her job and Levy was back to her "almost" normal self. There had still been a few stray tears that spilled over her cheeks from time to time, but for the most part, Levy was doing well with her aching heart.

"I'm sorry, Levy." Lucy's hand patted Levy's back softly. She hadn't let Levy leave her sight until this afternoon. Lucy had wondered if she would see Levy's face at karaoke night, especially since Lucy was almost positive everyone would hear about Levy's late night disaster. Surprisingly, though, the ladies that were there to witness her breakdown had not told a soul. Everyone put on a good show for the rest of the guild members, even Levy, who had done her best to laugh and be kind to everyone else when she had taken a seat at the table. "I'm sure you'll get a chance to make things right again."

Levy wasn't so sure that Lucy was right.

"Ah, don't be so down, Levy." Cana sat across from her, her arm draped around the top of the booth seat. "You're a good looking girl. I'm sure you can find someone better than that damn….."

"Cana! Shut your mouth! There are ears here that can pick up on what you're saying, you know!" Lucy was there to rescue her friend. She wasn't sure that anyone was really paying attention to what the girls were gossiping about, but Lucy was always a fan of the 'better safe than sorry' rule.

Cana quickly shut her mouth and shrugged her shoulders. "All I'm saying is that there are several other eligible bachelors that I think might be more your style." The brunette took a drink of her beverage, placing the cup on the table as she leaned in closer. "I mean, you have both Jet and Droy, but I know you're not interested…..right?"

"Cana, please –"Lucy tried to change the topic of conversation before Cana took it into dangerous territory.

"Well, the girl's gotta bounce back eventually, Lucy. Geesh. I remember when I went through my first heartbreak. It was devastating, but it opened the door to much better things." Yeah – like Cana's alcoholism, Lucy thought. But she refrained for saying another word as Cana carried on with her thought. "Hey, come to think of it, isn't this the first person you've had a crush on, Levy? Even when you were a kid, you never really liked any of the boys in the guild, did you?"

It was completely the truth. Levy had never given another person two looks before she'd met Gajeel. Not even Jet and Droy, as much as she'd like to deny it. Levy wasn't one to just give her heart away to anyone that wanted it. She had waited and waited for someone – someone like Gajeel – to come along and show her what it felt like to really care for someone like this. And then the asshole had gone and made a mess of things.

Levy was so lost in her thought that she didn't listen to the rest of Lucy and Cana's conversation with her. It was only when the karaoke stop and the music started to play louder and faster that Levy realized things were changing.

"Oooh, Levy, let's go dance! I see that cute bartender – wait a minute! He's giving you googly eyes, you silly girl!"

Levy felt herself look up in surprise. What were they saying? Someone was oogling over her?

"Cana, you're right! Levy, look – he's coming this way!"

* * *

Well, if this wizard thing didn't pan out, Gajeel felt confident that his career as a musical sensation would take off. He was glad that tonight had been the guild karaoke night. He'd needed something to distract him from watching Levy. He'd seen her after she left the girls earlier in the afternoon. She looked tired and defeated, but he couldn't really understand what had gotten her so down. It wasn't like her – she was normally so upbeat and happy. Gajeel couldn't help but think that it was probably his doing that made her like that. He was responsible, but he knew that it had to be like this or he'd just keep hurting her.

Gajeel hadn't realized that girls' day included shopping. Levy was seated in a booth with Lucy and Cana, her outfit something that Gajeel had never seen her in before. It was cute and sexy, something that would surely boost any girl's confidence if they looked as good in it as Levy did. Gajeel was suspicious that her friends had been the ones to pick it for her – and he would have been right if he would have asked. His eyes were lingering on her throughout his entire performance – so much for distracting himself enough to take his mind off of her.

"Oh Gajeel, you were just wonderful!" Mira approached him after he removed himself from the stage. "I'm so glad that I have you to stand in for me when I don't feel like singing. It's so much pressure! I'd rather sit in the crowd and watch than get up there and sing for people. I get so nervous!" She pressed a soft kiss to his cheek as she bounced passed him and up the stage. A quick announcement told him that the karaoke sessions were coming to an end, which means the music was about to be turned up loud and the dancing was about to break loose. If history was any indicator of the future, Gajeel wasn't about to stick around for the dancing.

At least, he hadn't been planning on it until he saw Levy. Levy and a dark haired menace who was threatening to take his spot in her life by asking her if he could buy her a drink. The growl that escaped him caused the guild members that were around him to jump in surprise. His dark look toward Levy, who was now laughing, and that asshole who wasn't even a part of the guild, caused people to jump away from him in fear. Darkness poured from him – it was only the pain of his bruised eye that caused him to pull himself together.

After all – he'd been the one to pull the plug on any chance he'd ever hoped to have with her. He'd been the one to distance himself and not give Levy the chance to figure out his feelings for her. Gajeel didn't want to hurt himself any more than what he had already done. Who was he kidding when he thought that maybe – just maybe – Levy would truly be able to forgive him for the pain that he had caused her?

* * *

"Uh…thanks for the drink, I think?" Levy said, realizing rather quickly that she was making a giant ass of herself by rhyming her responses. She hadn't intended on it happening, but still – she was much better with her words than providing people with thank you's that turned into questions.

The man smiled at her before he spoke. "Of course. It's my pleasure. You're Levy, right? Your friends over there told me your name earlier. I couldn't help but notice that you needed a little cheering up." He gave her a bright smile. "I couldn't let a beautiful girl like yourself just sit there looking like that."

Levy felt her face heat under his gaze. Had he really just called her beautiful? She'd longed to hear it from Gajeel. The words were bittersweet coming from someone else. "….Well….thank you. I guess you're right. I could use some cheering up." She looked down at her drink, swirling the little straw in it while she thought of her first question to the man. "What's your name, if you don't mind me asking? I think it's only fair to know yours since you know mine."

* * *

Gajeel was still seeing red an hour later. He strategically placed himself in a spot where his eyes could watch her as she flirted with that son of a bitch. Thoughts rushed through his head, and he almost exploded when Levy's hand touched the man's arm.

He'd never make it through this alive.

But Gajeel knew that he had to see it. He had to put himself through this because it was bound to happen again one day. Levy would not be alone for the rest of her life. She was too perfect to be alone forever.

"Just go talk to her, Gajeel. Tell her you're sorry and listen to what she has to say." The deep voice caused him to jump in alarm, spilling the mug he'd been holding onto tightly. "You're a moron if you let someone like her get away like that. I know you're not big on feelings – I'm not either. But you'll regret it if you don't fess up."

Gajeel looked at the black Exceed. As much as he appreciated Lily's advice, now just was not the time.

"Whatcha talking about, Lily? Seriously – can't you mind your own business sometimes?"

"Fine. Don't listen to me, Gajeel. But I honestly think you're making a mistake."

"Then let me do it, Cat. Let me make my own mistakes and stop telling me what I should and shouldn't do. I never needed her before so why would I need her now?"

"Because even I know when feelings change and you've grown attached to the script mage. Don't deny it."

Gajeel didn't say anymore words. Instead, he stood up, knocking into the table and letting his glass fall to the floor. It shattered, just like his resolve.

* * *

Levy's head turned sharply, watching the commotion in the corner of the room. She hadn't noticed anyone sitting there, but someone had been. The only remnants of their presence was the half eaten iron cog on the table.

Levy had been so absorbed in her conversation with the bartender – Darren, as she discovered during their conversation – that she hadn't paid any attention to the other guild members, save for Lucy and Cana. Although Darren was nice and she enjoyed the compliments he passed to her, Levy couldn't help the knot that tied in her stomach the closer that he got to her. She'd placed her hand on his shoulder to help steady herself earlier. He'd misinterpreted everything and taken it as a sign that she wanted to do more.

"Look, it's been fun, Darren…." Levy said, putting her hands up as she backed away from him. "And you're a nice guy…." Levy sighed. Why did she feel like she was breaking up with him? "But I just don't know if this is something that I want to pursue. You should go talk to Cana –"Levy pointed toward her brunette friend who happened to be laughing at a joke that Lucy had told. "I think she might be a better match. Sorry!"

Levy weaved through tables and chairs, deciding that it was time for her to remove herself from the terrible situation. She stumbled a bit, recognizing that perhaps she was a bigger light weight than she thought she was. Hadn't she only had two drinks? Realization dawned on her – she had been sipping what she thought was the same drink for quite some time. Had Darren been keeping her drink refilled using his own form of magic? Her arms and hands supported her as she walked down the hallway. It was all she could do to keep herself mostly upright.

* * *

Her journey toward the main entrance of the resort was eventful. She ran into several guild members – many of whom were as drunk, if not more so, than she was. The only one that was spared had been Wendy – she was up in her room asleep or reading a book, much too young to be partaking in these guild activities.

"Heya Levy! Do you need a hand?"

"Yeah! You look like you could use a little help."

She was hoisted up by her arms by two masculine figures. Levy couldn't help the giggle that escaped her as she noticed both Jet and Droy carrying her down the hallway.

"Guys! Have I ever told you how much I've missed you?" Her face was flushed and the giggles exploded from her lips without hesitation.

"We've missed you too, Levy!"

"Most definitely! Hey, Levy?"

"Yeah, Droy?"

"Thanks for being our friend."

* * *

Gajeel took a deep breath. He'd needed the fresh air to pull himself together. Visions of Levy touching another man stole through his imagination. He couldn't stop them – he didn't have any power over his feelings. But the warm air that swept through his lungs brought him some relief.

But Gajeel wasn't certain he could put himself through that again.

He wondered what would have happened if he had just given her the necklace instead of leaving it on her doorstep. His mind clouded with visions of what could have been – Levy laughing and throwing her arms around his neck. The feel of her body pressed against his as he looked deep into her eyes. The touch of her lips against his as he finally – FINALLY – kissed her for the first time.

"AaarGHHHH!" His fist connected with the brick wall. It was too much. He'd made such a dire mistake.

"Hic…hiccup."

Gajeel's breath heaved in and out of his chest, his eyes closed as he let the pain in his hand drain his thoughts.

"Hic…hic….Oh!"

Someone tumbled a few feet away from him and he heard them hit the ground with a loud 'thump'.

"Oww. Dammit. Fucking dammit. I broke a heel! That'll teach Lucy to ever put me in a pair of these bastards again."

Gajeel couldn't help but open his eyes as he listened. His senses were still out of whack, but this person was familiar. So familiar.

And then a shoe hit him in the back of his head.

* * *

Levy stumbled until she was sure that the path to her room lay ahead. She'd always been good with directions – wasn't that her claim to fame? Levy vaguely recalled pressing a kiss to the cheeks of her dearest pals before they were swept away into the arms of other girls waiting to be wooed by a Fairytail wizard. God, she loved them to pieces and only wanted the best for them. So lost she'd been that the fresh air had been welcoming to her. The nausea was starting to recede as the alcohol was being metabolized within her body, but her drunken stupor was a persistent bitch, and when Levy hit a chip in the concrete, she took a large tumble into the grass.

"Oww. Dammit. Fucking dammit. I broke a heel! That'll teach Lucy to ever put me in a pair of these bastards again."

She used both of her hands to tug the red heels off her feet, sending them flying behind her. Her black dressed was sprawled inappropriately around her and her blue hair – her lovely blue hair – had leaves scattered throughout. The tear in her black tights made it obvious that it hadn't been her first tumble that night.

"Ugh. Fucking ridiculous. I told her to let me wear blue jeans, but nooooooo. Cana had to have her way with my outfit and then Mira had to do my goddamn makeup. Fuck."

It felt good to curse. Really good. She didn't do it enough when she wasn't drunk. Drunk Levy was a cursing machine, but now that those stupid shoes weren't on her feet anymore, Levy felt like she could run a goddamn marathon.

"Freedom!" She'd cried as her feet felt the grass beneath her toes. She wobbled slightly, looking around on the ground for the bag that had fallen off her shoulder in her tumble. "Now where'd that bag of mine go? Oh…there you are, Mister Bag! I've found you!"

She grabbed her bag and pulled the strap over her head. It took her a few moments to register what was going on, but when she realized that a shadow had fallen over her, Levy turned herself around and let out a piercing scream.

"Don't you dare eat me, you stupid ghost!"

She flung the bag out of her way.

"Solid Script Magic: FIRE!"

* * *

What was Levy doing outside by herself at this time of night? Gajeel rubbed his head as the throbbing started to go away. He'd figured out whose heel had come in contact with his head quickly. Her conversation with herself had made him smile too. Damn Cana, Lucy, and Mira. They were all on Drunk Levy's shit list tonight!

Gajeel had never heard so many curse words escape her lips before. It was entertaining and refreshing, but it also made Gajeel realize just how much the blue haired wizard was struggling with herself. Even though he was still a bit upset and had promised himself that he would have nothing to do with her ever again, he couldn't just let Levy wander around outside like this. There was no telling what kind of trouble she'd get into.

His first mistake had been assuming Levy would hear him calling her name. His second mistake was standing too close to her. And his third mistake had been not expecting her to toss FIRE IN HIS FACE.

"GODDAMMIT. MOTHER FU-"He bit his tongue as he hopped around, patting his own clothes to get the fire to disappear. "LEVY! PUT OUT THIS FUCKING FIRE NOW, OR I'M GOING TO-"Water doused him immediately and Gajeel stood before a confused Levy, dripping wet and smelling like burnt charcoal. Why did interesting things always happen when Levy was around?

"Ga…Gajeel? You're ghost?" Levy pushed her hair out of her face as she looked at Gajeel's crispy form. Oh man, she just HAD to make things worse, didn't she? There was no way she was getting out of this one easily. The thought of everything that had transpired and the combination of the look on Gajeel's face caused Levy to laugh. Hard. So hard, she thought she was going to pee her pants.

"Gajeel! Why didn't you say it was you?" She took a wobbly step toward him, grasping him around the middle in a tight hug. "You know – you're one of my favorite people in the entire world, Gajeel."

"Levy."

He actually said her name! This was one of those rare times when he was either being serious or just didn't know how to approach her – definitely a once in a life time event! Levy sighed, content by the warmth his body exuded. "I was just on my way to my room. But…but I think I got lost and well… _hic, hic, hiccup_!" Levy's hand clasped her lips. She was embarrassed – he'd heard her hiccup! "Oh no. And now I have the, _hic, hic,_ hiccups!"

"Levy. Let's get you back to your room." He patted her back, but Levy pulled away.

"Oh no, Gajeel! What will we do!?" She looked so devastated. "I…I can't remember how to get there!"

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

This makes me a little more happy - Drunk Levy is the best and she's so much fun to picture in my head. The poor girl - she's so confused, but the look she had to have given Gajeel when she realized she couldn't remember her way to her room must have been absolutely priceless.

Mushiness is coming, but I can't tell you when. That would ruin the surprise!

Thanks for all the feedback and for all of you who commented on the cliffhanger last post - I was miffed at the voices in my head for letting it hang like that too!

As always, reviews are appreciated! Don't forget - my Gajevy Week Prompts will be finished tomorrow! If you're interested, submit your own word or phrase as either a comment or a PM and I'll use that as inspiration for my next posts.

Next Prompt: Jealousy.


	8. Chapter 8

**Gajevy/GaLe Week: Prompt #7 - Jealousy**

 _Here's the next chapter!_

* * *

Her head felt like it was going to explode. With a groan, Levy pulled the blankets up around her body. She was so warm and cozy – and it absolutely felt like she would die if she took more than a step out of bed. But the blue haired mage realized quickly that she had to pee, and unless she wanted to be severely uncomfortable, she had to force herself to do it.

One chocolate eye opened. The room was dark but she could hear the birds chirping outside. It had to be daylight, but why was it so damn dark? Her second eye opened, and Levy did her best to sit up straight, however the nausea was overwhelming and the entire room felt like it was spinning. Levy was going to be sick – she really shouldn't have drank so much. Holding her head with her hands, she gradually pushed her bare feet to the soft carpet of the room. With sluggish movements, she walked around the coffee table in the sitting room, not bothering to flip on any lights. The beams coming from above her would certainly cause her eyes to hurt and Levy wasn't quite ready to face that part of the day quite yet.

"Ughhhh." Noises escaped her as she fumbled around with her underpants, sliding them down her legs. She had on minimal clothing, a point that she hadn't found very strange. For being such an innocent girl, she enjoyed sleeping without restrictions. It had been one of the reasons why she had invested in her own apartment instead of staying with the girls at Fairy Hills. One could never tell when the day would come where someone would walk in on her butt naked and in bed asleep. Levy did her business, only pausing to view her reflection in the mirror as she washed her hands.

"Oh God. What is this?"

A leaf tumbled out of her blue nest and landed on the counter top. Her dark makeup was smeared around her eyes and she could see bruises forming all over her legs. Her arms were covered in scratches and Levy had to wonder what on earth she'd done to get herself roughed up so bad. She had remembered moving away from the bartender – Donald? Dale? Derek? – making her way down the hall. She'd remembered seeing Jet and Droy before she harassed the Exceeds by rubbing their heads with her hands like they were cats. And then she had been outside. But somehow, by the grace of God, Levy had found herself back in her room safe and sound. With a sigh and a quick disappointing lecture to herself in the mirror, Levy moved her hands back to her head and slid back under the covers of her bed. She saw a cup of water on the nightstand, took a few sips, and decided to go back to sleep.

* * *

A few hours later, she awoke again. The room was still dark – more so this time than it had been earlier, which made Levy guess that it was now nighttime again. One chocolate eye popped open, followed by the other before she yawned and snuggled in deeper. She had to pee again. The Universe was really fucking with her recovery. She moved through the room as she had before, completed her business (this time deciding to scrub her face a bit because the nausea wasn't too overwhelming) and returned to bed. She snuggled under the blankets, sighing with contentment. Boy, how long had it been since she just slept in like this? She wiggled her butt in deeper into the bed, moving her body toward the center. She paused in her movements, realizing that the blankets had prevented her progress onto the other half of her bed. She reached over to grab them, tugging hard to no avail.

"Come on blankets!"

Another tug and another left her efforts fruitless.

"Really? You're going to do this to me now?"

She continued her tugging, her anger growing before she finally flipped her body over. A surprised scream tore through her as she jumped out of bed, grabbing her pillow, and tossing it into the darkness.

"GAJEEL!? What the hell are you doing IN MY BED?"

* * *

So Shrimp had been awful at giving directions. As a matter of fact, Levy ran him around the courtyard of the resort FIVE TIMES before he finally gave up and told her that he knew where she was staying. Directing her in the opposite direction of her room, he turned her down a hallway and paused in front of room number 366. His room.

Gajeel hadn't really been sure what to do with her then. But Levy knew what she wanted to do and she climbed into his bed without Gajeel even giving her permission. It was late, he was tired, and frankly, Levy was impossible to deal with in this state. He'd let her sleep it off and he'd let himself get some much needed rest. Taking care of the blue haired woman in his bed had to be a full time job. His respect for Jet and Droy grew dramatically.

He'd readied himself for bed, brushing his teeth and changing into a loose pair of boxers. Gajeel's first action was to make sure that Levy was okay and that she'd sleep fine throughout the night.

"Heya, Shrimp? Wake up for a moment, will ya?"

They'd had quite a conversation on their way to his room. Gajeel discovered a large amount about Levy – how her favorite color was orange (thank you, Jet and Droy), how she enjoyed her romance novels (especially the smutty ones), how she'd always wanted to live out one of her romance novels ('yes, Gajeel – even the smut!'), and how much she LOVED…..ice cream.

He was crushing hard on someone who was obsessed with ice cream. Fuck him.

"Gajeel, will you just let me sleep, 'kay?"

"Shrimp, you need to get out of these clothes. They're all -! What are you doing? Levy!"

Her dress fell to the ground, revealing a black bra. She sighed as she reached behind her, but fumbled with the clasp. Gajeel's face was burning and he quickly looked away. He could hear her frustration as she tried her best to remove her clothing.

 _I guess that's one way of going about it…._ Gajeel thought to himself before he watched as Levy stood up and removed the torn, thin material that covered her legs. She'd obviously given up on her bra and climbed back into the bed without anything more covering her than her undergarments. Gajeel had to swallow hard to get his mind straight. He'd never thought that this would be the way he'd get to see Levy in her underwear for the first time.

"Levy….Do you want a nightshirt?"

"No, Gajeel. I'm okay."

"You sure, Shrimp?"

"Yes, Gajeel. Now leave me alone. I'm tired."

"Okay, Levy."

"Gajeel?"

"Mmhmm?"

"Are you staying too?"

"I…yeah, I guess so."

"Don't steal all my blankets or I'll light you on fire again."

Gajeel didn't even correct her – she was technically stealing HIS blankets.

* * *

Gajeel rubbed his eyes as he felt something tug at his blankets. The culprit was the blue haired woman lying in bed next to him, and he was still half asleep as he felt her wandering hand. She was tugging and tugging on the material, her hands moving to try a different spot to see if it would help her mission. But then her hand had moved too low and Gajeel felt a growl start low in his throat as Levy grabbed a handful of his ass.

He must have moved too quickly because he was face to face with a pair of surprised brown eyes and a head full of blue hair. She moved fast, jumping out of the bed as if she'd seen a ghost. His face was full of a pillowcase in seconds and Gajeel just looked blankly at Levy as she yelled at him.

"Will you please keep your voice down? You're going to give me a headache and I'm not even the one who's hungover."

She was still in nothing but her underwear and what a sight she was. Her makeup was smeared. She looked flustered with a nice pink dusting the tops of her breasts up to her cheeks. But the way her eyes were set and the way her lips were as thin as pencil lines let Gajeel know that he was in trooooouble. If this was what a woman looked like when she was pissed off, Gajeel could respect any man who had to deal with them regularly.

"Gajeel! What are you doing in my bed?!"

Levy was quite demanding, but as his eyes roamed back of her body, Gajeel couldn't help but smirk.

"I think you're asking the wrong question, Shortstack."

"Huh? I think I'm asking the right question. I think you just don't want to answer it!"

"No, you should really think about who's bed you're in."

Gajeel rose slowly, doing his best to stretch out his stiff muscles. He stood before her in nothing but a pair of black boxers, his chest completely bare and his hair cascading down his shoulders. He was nicely rumpled in that sexy "just woke up" kind of way. Had Levy not been so mortified that she'd slept in the same bed with Gajeel, she might have appreciated the view a bit more….but given she was in a different circumstance…..

"Welcome to my hotel room. I hope you enjoyed the bed as much as I do."

* * *

Levy's mouth dropped open. She felt herself become light headed and using her hand to steady her decent, plopped into the couch. Her voice was just an octave above a whisper as she let her thoughts escape her lips.

"I….I slept…here?"

"Mmhmm."

"In this?" Levy's hands directed themselves to her scantily clad body.

Gajeel grinned widely. "You got it."

"And….you and I…were in that bed. Together. When I was dressed like this –" she again, pointed to her body before looking at him. "And you were dressed like that." This time her hands pointed to his bare chest, while the color started to drain from her face. "I think…I don't think...Did you? Did I?..." She made noises that Gajeel had never heard before as her mind started to work it's many gears.

Levy's mind was racing. Had she really slept with Gajeel? Had her first sexual experience been when she was drunk? Had that been the only way that she'd been able to make a move? Her mind was spinning and it hurt – it hurt so bad. She felt her face break out in a cold sweat. Her throat started to feel tight and she realized she was salivating heavily.

"Earth to Shrimp? Levy? Did you hear anything that I just said?"

Gajeel looked concerned as Levy stared passed him as if she were in a trance.

"Levy, are you….? LEVY!"

The blue haired mage jumped into action, running as fast as she could into the bathroom. She was sicker than a dog and she'd never be able to make it up to Gajeel.

* * *

Lucy sat in around the fire, patting Levy on the back. She'd wondered where her friend had gone off to last night, but Lucy had been reassured that Levy had gotten home safely. It was only when Levy had appeared later that night – much to the entertainment of some of the guild members, that Lucy realized that Levy had had her own personal adventure.

"Wait, wait – You mean to tell me that you slept with Gajeel? In his bed?"

"Lucy! Shhh! Be quiet or someone else will hear you!" Levy smacked her friend upside the head quickly, hard enough to make a point, but light enough to make sure that Lucy didn't hate her. "I meant that we actually slept – sleeping, snoring, drooling on each other's pillows – together last night."

Levy remembered her conversation with Gajeel after she vomited in his bathroom. He'd been such a good sport about everything, telling her that she was perfectly fine and that her…womanhood…hadn't been compromised in anyway. He had gotten a good eyeful, which made Levy embarrassed still. She'd left quickly after that conversation and tried to drown herself in the shower as she scrubbed off her makeup in her own room. She sat before Lucy now in a pair of rubber ducky pajamas and her hair tied up in a messy ponytail. If Gajeel saw her now, she was willing to bet it would turn him off as much as their earlier meeting had turned him on.

"But you were still in his room alone. Did you kiss him?" Lucy's eyes were huge. She was invested in this pairing. If Gajeel and Levy finally got together, perhaps that meant the universe didn't completely hate all dragon slayers and she'd have a chance with Natsu. Of course, that meant that she really had to sit down and figure out her own feelings. Did she want to ruin that friendship? It was a hard call to make. With a mental shrug to forget about her own problems, Lucy hung onto every word that Levy spoke.

"Um…maybe?"

* * *

Gajeel was reading a book on his balcony when Levy's scent caught his nostrils. He put the book down on his lap as he closed his eyes and inhaled. Giggles were like songs in his ears, but they didn't come from Levy. Instead, he could hear her grumbling as Lucy bid her goodnight.

"Goodnight, Levy-chan! Don't dream about Gajeel too much, okay?"

Wait – what?

"Oh, Lu-chan, do you know how much I hate you right now? You know what I'm going through. It's so difficult especially because he was so mean to me the other night."

"You silly bookworm! I'm sure he'd just in a mood. Maybe you should really try to seduce him tomorrow night….at least give him a quick kiss!"

Gajeel felt his mouth drop open as his eyes flew open in surprise. He had crawled along the balcony in seconds, peering over the top of the railing to view the conversation himself. Indeed, Lucy was standing at the entrance to the building, chatting away with Levy before she turned to walk into her room for the night.

"You know I'm not ready for that. Besides, I need to figure out who gave me this necklace first. It's so pretty, don't you think?"

"Oh my god! I almost forgot!"

"What's that, Lucy?"

"Loke wanted me to tell you something – he said that you're missing something on the back of that necklace. Do you think there's a spell or something on it?"

"I'm not sure. I've looked this over a million times for a clue. The only thing that's on it besides the inscription is this weird little design at the bottom, but that isn't more than just a flaw in the metal."

"Huh. I don't know what he was talking about then. I wish I could help, Levy-chan!"

"Sweet dreams – I need to get inside before I have another fit about what happened last night."

"Bye, Levy!"

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.

Did he just think he heard what he think he heard? Gajeel let his back turn to the railing, sliding down the small barrier until he hit the ground. Was Levy going to try and seduce him? A grin spread on his face. A little part of him screamed that he had been the one who stopped things nights ago. But after seeing Levy with another man and going through a round of jealousy...well...he was willing to change his mind if it meant getting his hands on the one woman who made his heart stop.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

I seriously need to ask myself if I'm feeling okay. 8 Chapters in and they STILL haven't kissed? This must be a record for Gajevy stories or something - seriously though, when will these two just get over it and get in on it?

Sorry for not posting yesterday...I wrote up something special that I think you'll all like a lot. I look forward to posting it soon.

Looking forward to what'll happen next? Yeah - me too! Now that Gajeel has an idea...what do you think he'll do to make things finally happen? Or will he be a giant chicken and force Levy to 'man up'?

R&R - always appreciated.


	9. Chapter 9

**Warning:** Intense feels ahead.

* * *

He thought that things were changing that night. He'd finally overcome his desire to keep Levy away from him.

But Gajeel hoped his conscious would stop eating him alive.

Sitting on the balcony, Gajeel warred with himself for a good three hours after he saw Levy outside with Lucy. He'd had an ever winding loop of questions that he'd battled with and every time Gajeel made a plan to act upon his feelings for Levy, there was a flaw to it. There was no way he was going to overcome this speed bump without crashing and burning.

Gajeel thought that he was going to do the right thing and talk to Levy. He was going to tell her about the necklace, apologize for being an idiot, and make sure that she had honestly forgiven him for what had taken place earlier in their story – when he had been the enemy and had hurt her.

Surely she realized that the mage that they had dealt with a few days ago only played upon her worst fears, right?

But the fact that HE was one of her worst fears really bothered him. There was no ignoring that fact. He had lingering feelings of doubt every time he looked at her and Gajeel often wondered if she was scared of him.

Well, scared wasn't exactly the right word. Levy wasn't scared of anything, really. She had more balls on her than half the men in their guild combined. In his mind, Levy was just as strong as he was, even if she didn't think she was.

Gajeel settled into the bed, Levy's scent still all over his blankets and pillows. His mind was heavy as he drifted off to sleep. There was a lot to think about; a lot to consider if he was going to make the right choice for himself and for her as well.

* * *

"Huh?"

The room was empty except for Levy. He could see her smiling at him as if she were actually excited that he was there.

"Hiya, Gajeel!"

Levy walked toward him, her hands behind her back. She looked lovely – her skin so clear and her hair so blue. Her eyes practically sparkled at him as she moved closer to his body. Gajeel was frozen by her sudden appearance, but he felt his own lips twist into a smile.

"Hey Shortstack! I've been looking for you."

"Oh yeah? How's come?"

"Well, I think it's time that we had a talk, don't you?"

"What do you mean, Gajeel?"

"I mean….well, I'm sorry, Levy."

"Oh you're so silly. What on earth could you be sorry for?"

"For hurting you. You know. I never really meant to…..well…."

"Yeah…" Her voice was soft as she lowered her eyes to glance at her feet. "We both know that isn't exactly true, is it, Gajeel?"

"Huh?" Gajeel's eyes narrowed and he looked at Levy questioningly. "What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it. You knew what you were doing when you were with Phantom. You hurt me, Gajeel. Look." Levy raised her arm to show him the mark that was imprinted on her skin. It hadn't healed, but he'd been convinced that the bruise had been an injury sustained from the fight with the dark mage they encountered. Maybe he was wrong. Gajeel reached his hand out to touch the spot, his fingers lightly grazing her skin. Levy jerked her body back in response to his touch.

"Don't touch me!"

Her eyes were wide with fear, but Gajeel wanted to make things better. He moved closer to her, reaching his hand out again. Levy maneuvered herself out his reach, but Gajeel was expecting that. With one last lunge, he grasped ahold of her arm, tugging her too him.

"Ga…Gajeel! Please stop! You're hurting me again!"

But he couldn't stop touching her. His fingers dug into her skin and Gajeel watched as he pulled away from his body, watching as it had a mind of its own. Soundless screams came from his mouth, but he wouldn't stop hurting her. He would always hurt her if he got too close. He would always be bad for Levy.

* * *

A loud pounding on his door woke him from his nightmare. That was it! Even if Levy tossed herself at his feet naked, Gajeel wasn't going to pounce. No way, Jose. Wiping the sweat from his forehead and realizing that his sheets were soaked in it as well, he took a deep breath.

"HEY YOU DAMN METAL HEAD! WAKE YOUR ASS UP AND ANSWER THE DOOR!"

Huh? Who was bothering him this time?

"GAJEEL. JUST ANSWER THIS DOOR SO NATSU WILL SHUT THE HELL UP."

Gray was here too? What was going on?

Gajeel stumbled out of bed, rubbing his eyes and letting out a little yawn. He was more tired than he had been last night before he went to bed. With a grunt, he twisted the door knob. At the same time, Natsu threw his shoulder into the door and it all came crashing down on top of Gajeel.

"HEY! WHERE ARE YOU!?" Natsu's voice was as annoying as ever. "I KNOW YOU'RE HERE, GAJEEL! COME OUT AND FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!"

Gray stood behind Natsu, shaking his head slightly. "Natsu, you're not here to fight Gajeel. Besides, you'd definitely loose considering you're standing on top of the door that he is crushed under."

"What?" Natsu looked momentarily confused before Gajeel used his strength to fling not only the door, but Natsu as well, out into the hallway. When he stood on his feet, it was obvious that Gajeel was not very happy with either of the men standing before him.

"YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD FUCKING EXCUSE FOR KNOCKING MY DOOR DOWN!"

* * *

Levy kept her nose in a book for the better half of the day. There was another guild event taking place later that night followed by a round of Truth or Dare (hosted by none other than Mira herself), and Levy wanted to make sure that she was mentally prepared for both. Actually, she was kind of nervous, if she was being honest with herself. What if Gajeel showed up? Would he mention anything about her drunken adventure that ended in his hotel room?

Levy's mind had been wondering back to his shirtless form, and she often found herself rereading the same sentence five or six times before she actually understood what she had read. Something told her that they were at an important crossroads, but Levy didn't exactly understand how or why. After their last mission, things were really strained between the two of them. She knew it had to do with what she had said to him in that dark basement room.

"You…You hurt me!"

It all seemed like eons ago in her mind. But Levy hadn't known that it was magic that clouded her. She hadn't realized that it was the one façade she hadn't been able to see through until after Jet and Droy had the chance to calm her down. There was so much she wanted to say to Gajeel – to thank him for saving her life and for being her friend – but god dammit! He wouldn't let her get more than two words out before cutting her off!

Frustrated, Levy closed the book in her hands and shut her eyes in defeat. Boys were so damn complicated. She was so over all of this drama! A soft knock pulled her from her moment of self despair.

"Levy! It's Erza."

"And me, Lucy!"

"Yes, and Lucy is here too. We've come to collect you for the hunt."

"Erza, you sound too serious. Don't frighten her. IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK, LEVY-CHAN!"

"Yes, well. Perhaps you are correct. Levy, it's only a scavenger hunt. Cana will be setting up the teams with her cards, so you'd be best advised to put on some clothes and head to the beach with us."

"Come on, Levy! Maybe we'll get paired up and kick some asses!"

"The grand prize includes gloating privileges. Which, as I'm sure you are aware, goes farther than anything else in this guild. Well – besides friendship, that is."

"Leeeeevy, come on!"

The blue haired mage opened the door, which resulted in the delighted squeals that escaped the celestial wizard that Levy considered one of her best friends.

* * *

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen. Let's see who will be paired up for this session of "Finding the Fairy Treasure!" Cana shuffled her cards as she spoke, excited to see who the pairings would be this time. She enjoyed the little games they liked to play – it was the only way that moral could stay high and when on vacation, there needed to be some fun activities aside from a day at the beach.

"Alright! Let's do this!" Natsu was excited. He looked forward to games like this, especially if they were complicated and took a little while to complete. He certainly hoped that he was placed with a good partner. Perhaps Erza would be his match.

"First team…Lisanna and Gray!"

Juvia's face fell as she watched Gray high-five Lisanna. "Juvia….Juvia wanted to be with her love."

"Second team…"

Everyone was on pins and needles, waiting for their name to be called.

"Freed and Droy!"

"Evergreen and Juvia!"

"Mira and Erza!"

"Natsu and Wendy!"

"Jet and Cana!"

The list went on and on, members being paired up left and right. Everyone was so excited to work with the others in the guild. But when it came down to the last team, everyone held their breaths. Levy stood on side of the crowd. Gajeel on the other.

"And our final pairing – Levy and Gajeel!"

Dread filled his soul in that moment. There was no escaping Levy tonight.

Dread filled her soul in that moment. There was no escaping Gajeel tonight.

"Okay, now let's set some ground rules…."

* * *

Everyone moved to pair off with their partner. Levy and Gajeel just stood there staring at one another.

"So….I guess we just find all the pieces to the puzzle, right?"

Levy walked along Gajeel, her bare toes digging into the hot sand beneath her toes.

"Yeah. I guess so."

It had taken them a few moments to gather themselves. Gajeel reluctantly moved his feet to meet her half way, but the way Levy took a sigh and put her hands on her hips in a determined way allowed Gajeel the strength to carry on with the game. He could do this – he could get by without doing anything stupid….like hurting her, right?

"Where do you think we should start looking?"

"SO LONG, SUCKERS!"

"YEAH! SLOW POKES!"

Wendy and Natsu rushed passed them, obviously on their way to find their first clue. Every group had been given their own scavenger hunt, each with individualized clues to guide them to the locations of each item. Once the group had collected everything that was on their sheets, they were to return to the beach for their reward. Sometimes, the reward included special items that they could use on quests. Other times, it was a special desert bought just for them. But every time, stories of hilarity would be shared around a bonfire. It was a night of friendship, companionship, and love for the members of their guild.

"What did you say, Flamebreath?" Gajeel's cheeks burned. He wasn't going to let a little punk like Natsu beat him. Hell no.

"Come on, Levy! We have a game to win!"

"Ga..Gajeel! Wait up! I can't run as fast as you!...Wait…Stop it! No! You can't carry me like this! Help! Gajeel!"

* * *

They found their first clue rather quickly, ending up in the lobby of the hotel and searching through every single vase in the place. The employees were rather pissed off by the time they were finished. Broken pieces of vase littered the floor, but laughs escaped both Gajeel and Levy when they found what they were looking for.

"It's so pretty!" Levy turned the blue stone over in her hands, holding it up to the light a few times before she placed it in her bag. "I wonder if we get to keep it when we're done."

"I'm not sure, Shrimp."

Things were light between the two of them as they started moving toward their next clue.

"It looks like the next piece is in the gardens. I think we have a pretty good head start on everyone….do you think you could not carry me this time, Gajeel?"

"Well….make sure you put your shoes on this time then."

Levy did as she was told, following Gajeel out the door of the resort and around toward the gardens. Levy swallowed hard, looking around to see if they were alone so she could finally get a few words out to Gajeel, maybe even apologize for what she had done. When she was sure the coast was clear, Levy cleared her throat loudly.

"Something wrong?" Gajeel asked, not bothering to turn around as he looked around for their second item.

"No…well…I don't know." Levy stopped walking. They were in the gardens at this point, surrounded by vegetation and flowers of all kinds. "Is there something wrong, Gajeel?"

Stopping in his tracks, Gajeel closed his eyes and sighed. He'd been wondering when she was going to ask him what was going on.

"I mean, you won't let me talk to you, Gajeel. You've been avoiding me like the plague. I thought we were over this but then I woke up half naked in your bed and things just seem to keep getting more and more weird." Levy looked up at him, but he didn't turn to look at her. Instead, he kept listening to what she had to say. "I…I don't know what's wrong and I'm not going to be able to fix it if you won't talk to me about it. We're friends, Gajeel. You matter to me. This matters to me."

"Well…stop letting it matter to you, Levy."

"How…how can you say that to me, Gajeel?"

This time, Gajeel did turn to look at her. His eyes were steely and Levy felt herself want to recoil. But she stood strong, her chin up in retaliation to his stare. Her temper started to flare at that look. She hadn't been anticipating the conversation going in this direction, but the more that she thought about how he'd dismissed her the other night without explanation….well, that pissed her off more than anything.

"Because there are things that you don't realize matter more than you think they do."

"Then explain it to me, Gajeel. I'm not a fucking mind reader! Do you know how long it took me to say hello to you? Am I just supposed to flush our friendship down the toilet because you see something that I don't and refuse to let me in on the little secret?"

Levy took a few steps toward him, her finger sticking out to poke him in his chest.

"I tried to apologize, Gajeel. I've tried and tried to apologize to you. But you don't want to hear it. So whatever has your panties in a bunch, you need to get it straightened out. You're making a mistake by pushing me away, Gajeel. A huge mistake."

And didn't he know it? Gajeel grabbed ahold of her wrists – a bold move because he was so convinced that he was going to hurt her if he touched her. But hadn't he touched her time and time again? On missions, at the guild hall, handing her papers, passing her a book, giving her a high five during training because she was so adamant about positive reinforcement. He'd never hurt her with his touch and he was damned to discover that he hadn't hurt her when he grabbed her wrists.

Instead, he'd surprised her.

"Look, Shrimp, you're poking a beast who should not be poked. You play with my head, my feelings, and my emotions. You confuse me. I…you're a good person, okay? And I'll be damned if I let this dark cloud of doom that follows me everywhere linger over your head too." His eyes roamed over her face, just as hers did the same to his. "You are afraid of me, Levy. I can see it in your eyes. I am your greatest nightmare. I am your greatest fear."

"But…Gajeel….please listen to me!"

"Levy, you can't keep fighting me on this. I saw it with my own two eyes. You deserve to live your life without being in fear of those you choose to keep company with."

A frustrated tear slipped onto her cheeks. Levy tried to jerked her hands out of his grasp, succeeding after a short struggle. "No. Gajeel, I won't let you let me go! You can't do that to me! You won't even listen to me!"

"Levy, I've already done it. Not for my sake, but for yours. My mind had been made up."

"Gajeel! You promised me!" Levy choked out as more tears streamed from her eyes as she looked up at the man before her. "You promised me! You can't back out on that! You can't leave me! We're friends. We're partners! Stop being so stubborn and just let me explain!"

Her sobs threatened to break her. Her feelings were lingering at the surface. Didn't he know that he meant so much to her? Did he know that he was the most important thing to her right now? Didn't he know how much it had hurt her when he turned away from her? Reaching into her bag, she pulled out the very thing he had given back to her.

"Fine! If you're going to push me out of your life just like that….fine! But you can't give these back. They were a gift to you and if you're going to do this, you'd better take them – so help me god. You're insulting me and you're already hurting my pride by doing this, Gajeel. Just get these damn things out of my sight!" Levy threw a small container at his chest as she sniffled. Her chin was held higher than it had been before, showing him that she was trying to be strong as she crumbled before his very eyes. It pained him to see her like this, but his gaze was steely still as he tried his best to distance himself from the situation.

He was breaking up with her without even having told her how much he cared for her. It was a sad story of and in itself.

"And to think I might have loved you." Levy shook her head. "To think I might have cared for you so much that I might have loved you." Disgust took over her features before she squeezed her eyes shut and turned on her heels. She ran down the path, escaping while she had a shred of her dignity left.

Gajeel stood still until he was certain that she was gone. That's when his torment had caught up with him and Gajeel began to crumble too.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Dear god I hope this makes sense. I'm a bit loopy and may have had a few glasses of wine too many to deal with the scenario I had planned for these two for tonight's post. For those of you that don't know me well, my stories play out like movies in my head. I can see the expressions and hear their voices as if they were on the TV screen. I do my best to put what I see into words, but this post tugged at me so badly that I had to have a box of tissues on standby.

At this point, we start to see a breaking point. Something has to happen to really bring these two together, to get Gajeel to quit BEING SO DAMN STUBBORN, and for Levy to grow the strength to make Gajeel listen to her.

For those of you curious, the next post has something to do with the necklace he gave her. Will Levy finally discover Gajeel's secret gift? Will Gajeel finally realize that he's pushing Levy away when he should be pulling her closer? Who the hell is going to win the prize at the end of the scavenger hunt anyway? These questions and more to be answered...dun dun dunnnnn!

R&R - please don't kill me for these words. I love you all!

(But seriously - if the post doesn't make sense, I'll update it tomorrow.)


	10. Chapter 10

Levy never realized how many tears she could cry. She'd always thought that after a few moments, they would just stop, but the flood that had opened the minute she approached Gajeel did not slow down in the slightest as she tore through the gardens at the resort. She'd keep things pent up for so long that once the gates were open, there was no shutting them. Her eyes were red and swollen. Her nose burned from the raw skin that she'd rubbed until it almost bled around her nose. The only thing that was soothing to her was the darkness that surrounded her.

Locked behind a deadbolt and a few magical spells that kept everyone else out and the room dark and cool, Levy sat in silence – alone. Had Gajeel really been worth wasting her energy on? Levy's heart had been ripped out of her chest. Gajeel had been nakama – he was family. But after this? Did he even want her to be his nakama again? Levy didn't even care about her feelings toward him. Romance was hardly on her mind at this time. But the friendship that she had worked so hard to develop with him; the friendship that she had invested so much time into….it was all gone because he didn't want her to be near him. All because of something stupid. All because she couldn't get him to listen to her so that she could tell him that he wasn't her biggest fear.

It was the way he made her feel that was her biggest fear – the unknown behind it that truly was frightening. Levy had never felt like this toward someone before. Every day that she worked with Gajeel, she got to know him a little better. She thought he was interesting with his weird quirks, his identifiable laugh, and his strong personality. She wanted to learn more, but now that was going to be impossible. Sure, there were deeper feelings than she was admitting to – even Levy knew that. But it would hurt too much for her to tap into that and bring those feelings to the surface. She'd told him that she could have loved him, but she knew that wasn't quite the truth. Levy did love Gajeel. She just didn't know how to say it.

The logic in her mind told her that it was impossible to love someone that you barely knew, but Levy had felt a kinship with Gajeel since the moment he saved her from the attack Laxus had through her way years ago. She'd been hesitant at first – stepping lightly when he was involved. However, things had changed when he offered to be her partner on Tenrou. He'd made her promises then. Lots of promises. And Levy had thought that he would keep those promises. When they had returned from their frozen state, Levy found herself staying close to Gajeel. No one knew what they had experienced on the island except for themselves. No one knew what life had been like returning from that disaster only to find that their friends and families had gone on to live life without them. Levy had experienced her own form of heartbreak, but Gajeel had been there to comfort her, even if it was in his own way.

 _"Aye, Shortstack! You okay?"_

It had been on particularly rough afternoon for Levy. She'd reached out to old friends, only to find that they were now living the life that she had only dreamt of living herself. They were married, had children, and were expecting another. They were happy and Levy had missed out on experiencing those things with them. She'd only ever wanted to be a mom one day and she'd only ever wanted to experience those things with the people she considered her family.

 _"Gajeel? Yeah…I'm okay. I just have a heavy heart today, that's all."_

Levy watched as Gajeel took a seat next to her, sitting outside under the cool spring breeze as they adjusted to life again. _"I can't believe we were gone for such a long time. I feel….I feel so lost, you know?"_

That day had been the first day that she realized Gajeel was her friend. He placed his arm around her shoulder, nudging her and giving her a place to rest her head as they talked. He listened to her for what seemed like hours, providing advice to her when he could. But Gajeel didn't make one snide comment about what she had been feeling at that moment. He was her silent wall.

They'd started going on jobs together then, with Jet, Droy, and Lily too, of course. It wasn't all the time, but Gajeel and Lily were unofficial members of Team Shadowgear, even if they didn't want to admit it. Levy and Gajeel had latched onto one another. They'd learned so much about one another. Grew so goddamn close! It was only natural that Levy decided that she had feelings for him. She'd always wondered about Gajeel and the dark promises that he held.

But all of those hopes were long gone. Gajeel had made himself completely clear with his determination and now Levy was sitting in a dark hotel room, on HER vacation, sobbing and looking like a drowned rat. This had been the worst decision of her entire life.

"Stupid. Gajeel." Levy sniffed loudly before more sobs wracked her. "Can't believe I…I….I….trusted him to…to…keep his promises!" Her fists clenched next to her as she grabbed at the blankets on her bed. "Stupid…stupid me. I can't believe I let him make me so weak!"

* * *

Hours later, Levy awoke from her fitful slumber. She yawned and rubbed at her swollen eyes. She must have fallen asleep without meaning to. Her sleep had been dreamless and peaceful – a welcoming experience for someone so devastated and torn. But the sleep she had received had provided her with a touch of clarity. It was time to head back to the guild and throw herself into her work.

Levy turned on the light for the first time since she blockaded herself into her room. She silently wondered to herself if any of the other guild members had been looking for her. With a shrug, she brushed those thoughts off and grabbed her clothes. She'd shove everything back into her bags and hit the road as soon as she could.

It didn't take long for her to pack, but her heart was beating rapidly in her chest and her breathing was rushed and shallow as if she had just run a marathon. Anxiety crept up the back of her neck. She had to leave. She had to get out of here as soon as possible! Thoughts of Gajeel were going to start working their way back into her mind and Levy didn't want anything to do with that. Once she was certain she had everything, Levy took one last look around the room before she left.

It was a good thing she paused to double check herself. The orange lacrima shimmered out to her from a crack between the bed and the nightstand.

"Oh my god! I can't believe I almost left this!" Levy rushed over to the necklace, clutching it to her chest. She hadn't realized just how important the piece of silly jewelry had become to her in the few short days she'd had it. But Levy thought it was pretty and it soothed her anxiety almost immediately. There was something about the lacrima that had been used – it wasn't exactly just for decoration, was it? Curiosity struck her as she turned it over and over in her hands. Her fingers ran across the words that were inscribed in the metal setting, stopping over the design at the bottom.

 _"Levy, Loke wanted me to tell you something."_

She still hadn't the slightest clue as to who the necklace was from. Maybe it was time to throw herself into some mindless jobs and do some research into the necklace. There was something special about it – Levy was positive about that fact. With a quick scribble on a blank sheet of paper, explaining to her guildmates where she went, Levy sighed and left the hotel room. Her destination – Magnolia.

* * *

Gajeel knew that he had been wrong. He'd watched Levy disappear in a river of tears that he knew wouldn't slow down. He'd tried to follow her and apologize, but he hadn't been successful in finding her. His nose told him that she was in her room, but when he busted in the door, there hadn't been a single soul in there. The room had been dark and Gajeel had wondered if maybe there was a magical concealment spell that had been cast on the room. Levy wouldn't have done that though – she probably ran to Lucy and Erza for comfort.

Gajeel walked along in the darkness toward the flickering bonfire his guildmates were gathered around. Their voices were hushed and everyone went effectively quiet when Gajeel sat down on one of the benches.

"Hiya Gajeel."

He grunted in response as everyone looked at him. If they hadn't known better, they all could have sworn they saw sadness in his eyes. But Gajeel wasn't going to let them see that he was vulnerable. No, he wasn't that kind of person.

"Sorry Levy bailed on you." This time, it was Jet who spoke to him. The other two members of Shadowgear gave him weak smiles. "I guess she got an emergency message from the guild and had to go for some official script mage business. She does that from time to time."

"Yeah, don't take the loss as being too personal. Duty calls, ya know?"

The chatter started up around them again as everyone assessed the dragon slayers anger at losing the scavenger hunt to be next to nothing. That was what had concerned them – his disappointment at losing, not the fact that he had pushed Levy out of his life except in a professional sense. There was only one person who didn't joke with him about losing the event. One person who only looked at him like he was still the enemy.

* * *

"Bunny girl." Gajeel nodded as he walked over to the drink station some time later. Lucy was standing there as he approached, getting a drink for herself and Natsu.

"Gajeel." Her voice was steely and it made Gajeel pause as he poured his beer.

"Is there something wrong or are you just in a pissy mood because Flamebrain hasn't realized you have the hots for him yet?"

Gajeel should have expected the slap her received from her, but he hadn't been. He probably should have known better than to antagonize someone that was close with Levy like that.

"You care to say that again, metal head?" Lucy's eyes narrowed at Gajeel. "Don't pretend like you aren't the one to blame for this. We're nakama, Gajeel. You don't treat family like that. You don't treat someone like Levy like that especially. She was nothing but nice to you. She has always been your friend and you….you….you hurt her, goddamn it!"

"You don't know the whole story, blondie, so why don't you just go back to brushing your hair or whatever it is you like to do in your free time? I'm not playing these games with any of you tonight. The whole guild probably knows what's going on by now anyway, and I just don't have the patience to deal with it."

As irritated as Lucy was, she was determined to protect Levy and her reputation. "Levy would never tell someone she didn't trust about the conversation you two had. The only reason that I know is because I'm the one who made sure she got on the right train to Magnolia a few hours ago." And Levy had spilled her guts to Lucy. It surprised the celestial mage that Levy had taken things so bravely. No tears spill from her eyes as the bluenette spoke about Gajeel. She stood tall and strong, even smiling and laughing as she said goodbye to Lucy. But the blonde had seen the pain in her friend's eyes. Gajeel was going to get his ass kicked – by a girl, nonetheless.

"How can you tell someone that you don't care for them like that, Gajeel? She was the only one in the guild who stood up for you when no one else would. If it wasn't for Levy McGarden, you'd be stuck in a state of loneliness, regardless of your guild status or not. She's good people, Gajeel – she doesn't deserve this. Not when she was only trying to help you."

Gajeel set his glass down on the table before he turned to look at Lucy fully. "Listen you – don't start talking to me about Levy. I know her better than you think I do. I've worked with her on more jobs than you can even imagine. I know her favorite color is orange, how she snores when she sleeps, that she doesn't like to step on spiders because she thinks they have feelings too. I know that she feels like she's been left behind by her other friends that weren't stuck on the island, how she fears that she's not strong enough to protect her friends and family. You have no right to lecture me on what I've done to her or what I haven't done to her, because you don't know anything."

Gajeel swallowed hard, doing his best to not raise his voice and attract attention. He really didn't need to air his dirty laundry out for the entire guild to entertain themselves with. Gajeel picked up his glass and attempted to take a drink of his beverage, but he just couldn't before he spilled the last of his thoughts.

"You have never seen pain in her eyes the way I have, Bunny Girl. You've never felt how fragile she is. You've never watched as her bones had cracked or how her skin bruises with just the slightest pressure. You've never been the cause of the disappointment that lurks in the back of her mind or the doom that hangs over her when something reminds her of what you used to be. You don't know the first thing about anything, so you'd be wise to keep your nose out of our business."

Gajeel put his glass down on the table, turning to walk off into the night alone.

Lucy stood there, gaping in the darkness, tears hanging in the back of her eyes unable to be shed at the pure shock of what had just happened.

"Hey, Lu, hurry up with those drinks will ya?" It was only when Natsu's voice caught her ears that Lucy had realized she was standing alone. Levy and Gajeel had some deep feelings to address. Their story was a sad one, but Lucy had hope for a happy ending yet.

* * *

"Ugh, this is so frustrating!"

It was day two in the library for Levy. She'd poured over dozens of books on every topic she could think of that had to do with lacrimas (bright orange or other colors) and she hadn't been able to find anything that fit what she was looking for.

"There has to be something out there on this!"

Maybe she could ask Lucy to summon Loke to help her. Levy's friends were returning from Akane Beach today – it was only a matter of time before they arrived in the guild hall. News had gotten back at that Gray and Lisanna had won the scavenger hunt. Levy was glad for them – at least her departure hadn't really ruined anything for the other guild members.

"Levy-chan! I've brought you tea!" Kinana appeared next to the script mage with some minor refreshments.

"Oh thank you so much!" Her stomach rumbled in appreciation. "I guess I've been down here longer than I thought. Has anyone else returned yet, Kinana?"

"Actually, yes –kina! Some of them are in the main hall, others have gone back to their quarters to rest. Would you like me to pass along a message to any of them?"

"No…thank you so much for the food and information though!"

"Don't work yourself too hard, Levy-chan!"

Levy smiled as Kinana walked away. Her eyes closed as she inhaled a few pieces of finger food that sat on a plate in front of her. "Mmhmm. That hit just the spot."

"I know what else could hit just the spot."

Surprise caused Levy's eyes to fly open, widening as she took in the looming form before her.

"…..Loke?"

"It is I, Loke, here to help you, the lovely Levy, figure out what it is you are looking for."

"Okay, stop being so flashy. You forget that I've seen you half naked and saved you from a pack of raging women back in the day."

"Er…well…okay, fine. I wanted to help you…in exchange for a favor."

"What favor?"

"I feel so silly asking you this." Loke flashed Levy an uncertain smile. "But I need you to get that dragon slayer away from Lucy before he makes her forget all about me."

"You…wait, what? You want me to help you get Lucy's attention?"

"No, I want you to get rid of Natsu."

"Can you do that yourself, Loke?"

"Huh. Good point, Levy. Thanks for your insight."

"You're welcome, I guess? I really don't know why you'd bother with that mess though, Loke. You'd be impacting Lucy's happiness. You know how she's attached to Natsu."

Their conversation continued for what seemed like eternity. Levy went back and forth with Loke, helping him weigh the pros and cons of terminating Lucy's relationship with Natsu. Eventually, Loke decided that it probably wasn't in his best interest to pull the plug on that – instead, he decided to look into pursuing other ventures….like Erza.

"Whatever floats your boat, Loke….." Levy couldn't help but grin at the situation. It was so ironic. "But wait, before you leave, you said you'd help me?"

"Oh yes! I almost forgot my original purpose for coming to see you. That necklace you're wearing?"

Levy nodded and grabbed the orange jewel hanging around her neck.

"I think you're looking in all the wrong places. Why don't you try looking into gifts of love? All I see are books on lacrimas. Think about why it was given and when it was given. I know you're smart, Levy, but sometimes, thinking outside the box helps." Loke shrugged then. "I wish I could just tell you, but where's the fun in that? Besides, I'm a big fan of love and I've always wanted to see what happens with your life. You're a fascinating individual, Levy McGarden. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Loke gave Levy a small wave before he started to walk out of the library. She barely registered his voice as he called one last time. "OH, and don't overlook the inscription! You know what I'm talking about!"

The inscription? Did he mean the "Will you be my Valentine?" proposal? There was nothing strange about that. It was just plain words without any special meaning. Maybe Loke had it all wrong. Maybe he didn't really know what Levy had in her hands.

Loke was well informed, however. He was a celestial spirit. An important celestial spirit.

With a sigh, Levy pushed herself up from the table, grabbing a handful of books to place back in the shelves. "Love it is then. Gifts….hmm…what about – ah ha! 'Love: Potions, Artifacts, Spells, and Curses.' This might be a good place to start."

* * *

Her snore was so loud that it made her jump out of the chair with a yelp. She had been all alone in the library - a usual experience for the script mage who was almost the sole guild member who utilized the books located here. She had been so stuck on this lacrima stuff that she hadn't realized that it had gotten quite late. Not even the coffee she had shoved down her throat could keep her awake. She'd done whatever she could over the last few days to throw herself into her research. It didn't register that maybe a little bit of sleep every now and then would help her think clearer. It was obvious that her body needed it – the yawns continued to come as she grabbed her bag and shoved the remaining books on the table into it. Levy would return them when she could – this was turning out to be an extensive process.

A book tumbled from her grasp and landed on her foot. The brightness from the orange lacrima caught her eye – was it shining brighter than normal? It had to be her imagination. Bending down to grab the book, something caught her eye within the dark ink.

 _The art of love_ – a crafting spell. This was unique – a gift was made by the hands of true love. The power of protection when into it, a special piece of the creator's soul would always glisten inside. It was a gift of protection, meaning that the bearer would always feel the calming, soothing touch of their partner when they were in need. Gifts ranged from trinkets to umbrellas and even…pieces of jewelry. Was this what she had around her neck?

* * *

Something told Gajeel that he needed to watch the library doors. He'd done his best to stay out of Levy's way since he had returned to the guild, but he really hadn't needed to. Rumor had it she had locked herself in the library for three days straight – only appearing to grab a bite to eat and use the bathroom. Gajeel had no right to be concerned about her wellbeing. Hadn't he just told her that he wanted nothing to do with her? But Gajeel, although afraid of his feelings, still had them and they wouldn't let him ignore the fact that Levy was all alone in the library. If something bad were to happen to her….Gajeel didn't even want to think about that. A world without Levy McGarden was not a world he wanted to be a part of.

Panic washed through him as something told him that Levy was in trouble. He'd felt a pain in his foot – a throbbing as if something had fallen onto it. But the sense of urgency quickly dissipated. He'd felt that before – when he was waiting outside the building in Hargeon as Team Shadowgear tried to take on that mage all alone. But unlike that time, relief washed through him and moments later, Levy appeared on the side walk with a bag full of books.

"So…whoever gave this to me…" He could hear her mutter on her way home. "Cares for me a lot." Her hand touched the necklace he had made for her and he felt warmth flood through his body. "I just don't know who would make something like this for me. Jet and Droy would have been my first thought – but they both looked so confused when I asked them about it. They even admitted that it was too pretty of a gift to have come from them. Think, Levy! Think!"

Gajeel trailed behind her, making sure to say far enough away that she wouldn't hear him. He'd done this countless times, protecting her from the shadows, making sure that no one and nothing harmed his little script mage.

* * *

"Maybe Gajeel…..but no. He wouldn't have done that for me, would he?" Hope swelled in her chest momentarily at the thought. Prior to the other day, she might have thought it possible. But now? She sighed, disappointed.

"No. I need to stop thinking like that."

Levy was quiet for the remainder of the walk home. Just as she was about to take the first step up to her front door when a movement out of the corner of her eye forced her attention to turn from her task.

"Hello?"

Levy called, looking for a sign as to who was there. Something told her that she needed to find them. It frightened Levy that there was someone out there with her this late at night. It had to be near 3 in the morning at the earliest!

"Please don't hide from me."

* * *

She had looked so hopeful when she'd thought about him, but then that look of hope had crumbled into nothingness as she finished her walk home. Gajeel felt guilt rip through him. He had been SO close to telling Levy how he felt about her, and now he couldn't face her. He was too afraid of causing her pain.

But there was something about the way she said 'please don't hide from me' that tugged at him. He really should go home. He really shouldn't be here. Hadn't he already made up his mind about being near Levy? After all, he'd done quite a bit of damage at the resort. How much more did he want to hurt the poor girl? Hadn't he done enough?

* * *

Levy sighed heavily again, her tired eyes making her see things in the dark that weren't really there apparently. She turned her back to the night and pulled her keys out of her pocket.

Just as she put her house key into the door, her reality took a nose dive into the unbelievable as she heard his voice behind her.

"You shouldn't really be walking home alone at night, Shrimp."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

He can't stay away, guys. He CANNOT stay away.

Let's see if they can kiss and make up in the next post.

I hope you enjoy!

R&R always appreciated - don't hate me for more of these feel heavy words! I love that you guys are all enjoying this so far! Your comments have been so motivating and wonderful!


	11. Chapter 11

She thought that she was in a dream. A nightmare, maybe?

"Gajeel?" Her voice was barely a whisper and she didn't dare look behind her. She knew exactly what she'd find. His red eyes seemed to haunt her. "What are you doing here?"

Her own question pushed her body to continue the task she had set out to complete – the key was in the door handle and all she had to do was twist it open. It was difficult to finish opening her door though. Her fingers shook with anger and emotions that were obviously still lingering at the surface. "I thought you weren't going to see me anymore. We aren't friends, remember?"

"I wanted to make sure you got home safely."

His voice made the hairs on the back of her neck tingle. Her body yearned for her to look at him – it wouldn't hurt her to just sneak a peek, right? But Levy knew that if she turned to look at Gajeel, tears would begin to fall and she would look exactly like she'd always feared – weak.

"As much as I appreciate the concern, I think I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Gajeel." Her voice was firm when she spoke. It was a solid indication that as long as she didn't turn her face toward him, she could hold herself together. Maybe she was stronger than she'd originally thought.

"I never said you weren't." She was growing annoyed with the lack of response she was getting from him. One liners were easy responses to her inquiries and they were irritating the more talkative female.

"Then what do you want from me, Gajeel? It's late and I don't have time to deal with you again right now."

The power behind her words caused her to turn and look at him finally. Her hands were on her hips and her eyes obviously showed her annoyance. The question that she asked was an honest one – one that she'd really like the answer to. His face was emotionless as she looked it over. Gajeel's features were hard and unreadable, but what else was new?

"I don't know."

* * *

His response surprised her. She never expected him to look at her with such honesty in his eyes. Did he truly not know why he was here or what he wanted from Levy?

Words became lost between them as they stood there in silence. Gajeel's eyes couldn't leave Levy's face and Levy did her best to avoid looking at him. Why was he here? Gajeel didn't even know the answer to that himself. He'd told Levy that he wanted nothing to do with her, so why did he feel like he had needed to keep her safe? She was still nakama, he supposed. They were both still a part of Fairytail. Deep down, Gajeel knew that it was something more than that.

He missed her.

* * *

Movement caused Levy to look up at the iron dragon slayer. He took one step, then two, three, four – Gajeel was moving closer to her and Levy's breath caught in her chest with her surprise. What was he doing? Her instincts told her to move away, causing her body to be pushed up against her front door, but that didn't stop him from coming up her steps and standing in front of her.

"I…I needed to make sure you got home safely. You have a terrible habit, you know."

Levy bit down on her lip to keep it from trembling. "What habit is that, Gajeel?"

Gajeel gave her a small chuckle before replying. "Losing yourself in the books you read. Do you know how many times I've made sure you've gotten home safe this late at night?"

Levy's eyes widened at his question. Sure, it was probably the scent of him near her that made her heart start to rapidly beat in her chest, but Levy had just noticed it. Could he hear it? She'd only need to reach out slightly to touch him. He was so close to her – so close. "I guess I…I guess I never really thought much about it. You just happened to be there."

A smirk still covered his lips as he replied. "I was waiting for you to get tired enough to walk home."

"Oh." Her voice was small. So terribly small. "Well…thank you for doing that. But…but I can ta-"

"Take care of yourself. I know, Levy."

He'd used her name – her real name. Either he didn't know what to do with her or he was trying to be serious. Levy could feel her cheeks heat and she tore her eyes away from his face to look down at their feet. Wasn't she supposed to be mad at him?

He took another step closer to her, and Levy forced her eyes back up to his. There was something she'd never seen lurking behind their redness – feelings or emotions that were swirling to cause him to act out like this. His hand on her cheek surprised her, but at the full warmth of it, she pressed herself into it. He'd made his move and Levy felt herself falling.

* * *

Words didn't need to be exchanged anymore. They both knew that things between them weren't ready to recover, but Gajeel couldn't help himself from touching her. He needed to feel the intimacy that he'd always wished for with Levy.

His hand stroked her cheek as her hands came up to cover his. Gajeel noticed the necklace he'd made for her – his free hand moving to grasp it in his fingers. He rubbed the edges of the lacrima, loving how beautiful it had turned out to be. It was perfect for Levy. Perfect for the script mage that would always hold his heart, even if he'd never let her.

"I'm glad you wear it." He mumbled to her, his face just a breath above hers.

"Was it a gift from you, Gajeel?"

Her brown eyes seemed to absorb his. Gajeel hadn't been thinking from the moment he stood outside the guild. His body had moved of its own accord, bringing him here to stand in front of Levy - his hand on her cheek, her hands on his own, and his lips…his lips moving to cover hers in a sweet, devastating kiss that he'd never forget.

* * *

The touch of his lips on hers stole her breath. The electricity that had been building between them seemed to explode into direct lightning bolts aimed at their hearts. Her heart seemed to beat out of her chest, her breaths quickening, and her fingers itching to touch him more. Then his lips touched hers and Levy thought that she was falling into a hell that felt more like heaven.

Was it possible for something to feel so incredible and so wrong at the same time?

* * *

Gajeel started out slowly, moving his lips over hers as she responded. He heard a soft sigh escape her as she moved her hands to circle his neck. Gajeel's own hands moved down to her waist, pinning her against the doorframe that she stood in front of. Her body was warm under his.

Another sigh escaped Levy, and Gajeel felt her lips open in response to him. He took advantage of her momentary weakness, slipping his tongue into her mouth. She tasted like sweet heaven and he knew that he would never have someone sweeter than this.

A growl left his throat as Levy's fingers twisted in his hair. His hands pulled her into him and he kissed her harder, demanding more from her. Their lips seemed to fuse and Gajeel could only wonder what was going through Levy's mind. He certainly knew what was going through his.

* * *

She felt the hard contour of his chest as he pressed against her, his lips claiming hers in an intense battle. She tried her best to take control of the situation, but Levy had never been this close to a man before. Gajeel had kissed countless girls, she was certain, and Levy wondered if she was even a match for the worst one of his past experiences. His growl caught her off guard and she realized that her fingers were full of his dark mane. His hair was the perfect anchor for her senses, but it seemed like Gajeel really enjoyed it when she tugged.

Boldness crept up into her and Levy tugged a little harder, causing Gajeel to hold his assault as his nerve endings blasted him with feeling. Levy took advantage and pushed her tongue into his mouth, kissing him as if her entire life depended on it. Gajeel's hands were lifting her up by the waist, forcing her legs to wrap around his midsection as her back crashed against the door to her home. His lips never left hers, but his hands began to roam.

Levy's lips tore from Gajeel's, causing him to give a soft cry of disappointment. His lips moved along the side of her face, down her neck to a spot so sweet, she thought she would die if he kept teasing it. Her head leaned against the door frame, giving him better access to her soft skin. Levy thought she would die from the pleasure she was feeling and she knew that Gajeel could give her more if she'd let him.

* * *

He was losing his mind in the ecstasy of his first kiss with Levy. Things were progressing faster than he'd wanted, but all of the pent up feelings that they had fueled him along further. Gajeel only regained control when he heard the soft moan escaped Levy's lips as he started to work his hot kisses down to her chest. Gajeel wasn't ready to go there – it would only hurt Levy more if he were to take things too far.

Abruptly, Gajeel pulled his mouth off her body. He placed his forehead against the wood door, doing his best to calm himself.

"Gajeel?"

Her voice was so raspy. It drove him to the brink of losing himself again.

"We can't do this."

* * *

Levy felt her feet land back on the ground. So many questions swam through her mind. Why did he kiss her? Why did he stop kissing her? What in the hell was going on in his mind? Why was he so afraid of her?

Levy felt coolness swim over her as Gajeel backed away as quickly as he could. His eyes took in her body – the way her lips were swollen and her clothes were rumpled in the best way possible. It killed him to leave her, but he knew that he had to. If he took things further, it would only hurt her later on.

"Gajeel? Where are you going?"

Her voice was full of alarm as it called out to him. "You're going to leave and we're not going to talk about this?" It wasn't fair. IT WASN'T FAIR!

He didn't say a word to her. Instead, he turned his back to her and walked away.

* * *

Levy's mind was blank. She remembered opening her door and starting a bath. She tugged on her pajamas and sat on her bed. She couldn't think about what he'd done. She couldn't think about anything but the feelings of his skin burning into hers. Rage bubbled beneath the surface. It didn't take long before she was on a rampage – tossing her books off of her bed and throwing a pillow across the room.

"He's not going to get away with this." Her fists clenched and she pulled on a pair of slippers.

Levy McGarden was done playing games with Gajeel Redfox. Fool her once, shame on you. Fool her twice…..

* * *

What had he done?

Gajeel ran his hands through his hair as he sat on the patio to his home. Lily was inside sleeping, which was exactly what he should be doing. But his mind was much too active for him to just crawl under the covers and sleep it off. He hadn't meant to even show his face to Levy, and yet, he'd taken things to the next level without realizing it.

How was he going to explain this one to Lily? He'd really fucked up. Leaving her there without an explanation? Gajeel knew he was so bad for Levy. So so bad. He'd only hurt her more, even if she claimed he wouldn't. But goddamit, she made him want to melt every time she looked at him with those big brown eyes.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he jumped to a start at the sound of his name.

"Gajeel Redfox, I challenge you."

Standing before him in a pair of rubber ducky pajamas and blue fuzzy slippers was Levy McGarden.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Love it? Hate it?

I think Levy might have finally taken a step in the right direction.


	12. Chapter 12

_Here's a short and sweet chapter for you on a wonderful Sunday!_

* * *

Okay, so challenging Gajeel wasn't exactly the smartest thing she could have done. Levy hadn't said more than two more words to Gajeel before he stood up and walked inside. Levy thought that he'd just left her, so she pounded on the door in anger. Moments later, Gajeel was back outside, this time with Lily in tow. He's only gone inside to get their referee.

So this was really going to happen, wasn't it? She felt terror creep into her heart at that realization. There was no way she was ready to beat Gajeel. He'd deserved it though – every spell that she'd toss at him, he'd deserve it. Levy's mouth hung open though, as she watched the Exceed rub his eyes and give a yawn.

"You guys were making too much noise." Lily muttered as he took a seat on his home's front steps. "Figured I'd come out and watch."

Gajeel was shaking his head and Levy finally closed her mouth. Her fists were balled at either side and she was pissed. Straight pissed.

"What? You couldn't fight me by yourself, Gajeel? You're too scared of a little script mage that you had to go and get your back up?" Whoa, she was really digging into him. "I see now…that's why you ran away from me!"

Levy marched up to Gajeel. Had she been taller, she'd have looked him in the eyes, face to face. She was about to talk again, when Lily decided to interrupt.

"Whoa. Whoa. Hold on a second!" The Exceed moved between Gajeel and Levy, forcing them to take a few steps back from one another. "Someone tell me what the hell is going on! I've not seen so much hostility between two people that were friends before in my entire life!" The hostility was mainly coming from Levy. For someone to compact, she sure had a lot of fire blazing from her at that moment. If Lily was going to bet on a winner, he'd put his money on Levy.

Levy huffed and turned to look at Lily. "Gajeel followed me home from the library after he told me he wanted nothing to do with me anymore, then he took advantage of the situation, kissed me, and walked away without saying a word." She glared at Gajeel, folding her arms over her chest as she looked back at Lily. "And he still won't listen to what I have to say! He's going around making all the decisions and I don't get any input into the one's he's making for me? How fair is that?"

Lily was thoughtful for a moment before turning to look at Gajeel. "Is this true?"

"More or less." The shrug that followed told Lily that Gajeel thought Levy was overreacting. But dammit, it was about time these two just got together, because Gajeel was becoming a pain in Lily's ass. If stuff like this kept happening, Lily was moving to Akane Beach and sticking Gajeel with the bill. Lily sighed and took a seat on the step. "Alright, Levy. Tell Gajeel what you have to say. I'll kick his ass if he thinks about leaving."

"Seriously? We have to have a goddamn mediator?" Levy stomped her foot and turned to walk back down to the sidewalk, leaving Lily and Gajeel looking at her. "No, I'm an adult and I expect to be treated like one – with respect!" Her finger shot out and pointed at Gajeel. "You have a problem with assuming. You tell me that you are my biggest fear, but you have it all wrong!" She waved her hands as Gajeel started to speak. "No, you let me talk – you always do this! I'm tired, Gajeel. My biggest fear? It's loving you, you idiot! I've never felt like this before and I don't know if it is love or if it's just some childish infatuation, but I do know that I can a whole lot for you. And you just jump in and think that because of our history that you shouldn't be around me – because some fucking wizard used their magic on me and I lashed out because I wasn't sure if you were you. Yes, I was scared. Yes, I felt terrible about it. But if I'm being attacked by someone, I'm going to fight back!"

Levy slowed down for a second, trying to catch her thoughts as they flew through her mind and out her lips. But then her anger resurfaced and Levy was done being nice. "I don't know why I have to justify myself to you, Gajeel. And now you bring out Lily who gets to witness this entire speech. Do you know how embarrassing this is for me?" She shook her head before giving a little laugh and throwing her hands up. "You've acted like a child this entire time, Gajeel. I don't even know why I care." She took a few steps backward. "Maybe it's best that you say away from me. Maybe you were right, you asshole!"

Red eyes locked with browns ones as Gajeel opened his mouth to speak, but the dragon slayer was way too surprised at what happened to get any words out. Had Levy McGarden – the sweetest, kindest, nicest person he'd ever met – really ripped his ass out on his front lawn? Lily had his paw over his mouth, holding back his own surprise. And then Levy was walking back home – stomping, more like it – and Gajeel was just standing there, trying to find the reality in the situation. It was probably best, anyway. Levy would need some time to cool down.

* * *

Days passed. Levy and Gajeel kept their distance and Levy was miserable. She hadn't really meant to go on a rampage like that, but at the same time, she had to stand her ground. Gajeel couldn't just kiss her and walk away. He couldn't think that he had the ability to do something like that and get away with it. Goddamn him!

She hadn't realized that she'd been clutching her fork so hard. Lucy's voice caught Levy's ears, causing her to relax her grip.

"Whoa there, Tiger. Think you've murdered your food enough for one day?"

Lucy was right. Staring down at her mashed potatoes, Levy realized they could hardly be recognized.

"I'm sorry, Lu. I just have a lot of…pent up frustrations. Stupid boys and their stupid boy heads."

"Well, I think you have a right to be angry, Levy. How about we take a mission together – just the two of us – to take your mind off of it?"

"I'd love to Lucy, but Jet and Droy called dibs. We leave tomorrow."

"Aw, well, next time – just me and you, girl."

"Hey, Lu?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Gajeel will ever apologize?"

"I don't know, Levy. Dragon slayers can be stubborn, even if they're the ones who are wrong."

* * *

Gajeel hadn't been able to tear his eyes from Levy for days. DAYS. He was impressed with her ability to stand up to him – another reason why he loved her so much. He realized his mistake after she walked away from him that night in front of his house. She'd made a lot of valid points, even if they were tough ones for him to respect. Lily had given him a good beating afterwards, telling him that he would be lucky if Levy wasn't lost to him for good this time.

"So what do I do, Lily?"

"You woo her, you moron!"

And that conversation had started "Operation Love Doctor". It was a stupid name, but Lily had gotten excited when he'd come up with it. After all, he was playing matchmaker with Gajeel and the script mage. He was almost a love doctor himself, right?

They'd been planning for days. It was almost time to put part one of the operation into play. Levy was with Lucy eating dinner, the look of murder in her eyes still lingering. Boy, she'd been so angry with him. She hadn't even looked his way in days! The guild hall was packed with people – many of them had just returned from jobs and vacations. It was a reunion of sorts for most in the guild.

Which was why "Part 1 of OLD" would be a success.

* * *

"Levy-chan!"

Mira's voice sang through the hall as she walked over toward Levy and Lucy.

"There's a letter here for you. I found it on the counter and thought you might have dropped it."

Levy reached her hand out to grab the letter from Mira, shaking her head in confusion. "Hmm. I don't remember seeing this letter, but I could have dropped it. Thanks, Mira."

"Any time!" Mira left her and Lucy alone at the table. Of course, the blonde couldn't help herself and asked Levy what was in it.

"Hmm. No idea."

 _I'm sorry._

It was all that was written on the piece of paper, and immediately, Levy's eyes jerked from it to the people surrounding her. Gajeel. Where was he? But her search for him would be fruitless. Gajeel didn't appear to be in the building.

* * *

He was there though, a smirk on his face as he saw Levy read his first form of apology. He'd make it up to her in a million different ways until he could ensure that she would actually speak to him again. But part 2 of Part 1 was about to occur, and Gajeel took a sip of his beer as he watched it all unfold in front of him.

* * *

"Hey Levy?" Mira's voice hit her ears again, this time from over by the bar. "Can you come here for a second?"

Levy sighed and gave Lucy a smile. "I'll be right back."

She marched herself over to the counter where Mira stood grinning. "Yeah, Mira? What's up?"

"I forgot to tell you that you had something dropped off today. We couldn't find you earlier – I'd almost forgotten." Mira disappeared to the back store room, only to reappear moments later with something in her hands.

"These are for you!" Mira practically squealed as she pushed the prettiest bouqet of flowers into Levy's unexpecting hands.

"Oh my." Levy was stunned. These were for her? No one had ever bought her something like this before.

"Who are they from, Levy-chan?" Mira asked, curiosity getting the best of her. "There's a card on the front."

 _I'm sorry._

"Um…I'm not sure who these are from, Mira." But that was a lie. Levy's eyes turned to scan the giant room once more, searching for Gajeel with all her might. The doors to main entrance swung closed just as she located them – but she hadn't missed the red eyes that turned to look at her as he exited the building.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

A shorter than normal post for you guys today - sorry! My muse juices aren't as strong as they have been, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. More thoughts from Gajeel next post as he addresses his fears and his thoughts on Levy's admissions from the first part of this post.

God, I love them. Even Gajeel can be a little romantic. Can't wait to see the other ways he plans on apologizing to Levy.

R&R - Love it? Hate it? Still mad at me for giving you crazy feels the last few posts? Let me know!


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter - "What the hell are you doing, Gajeel?" (Part 1 of 2)**

* * *

Days passed, jobs were completed, but Levy never forgot about the flowers she had received. She'd been scarce around the guild because of the need to secure her finances. Now that jobs were becoming more plentiful, Team Shadowgear had found plenty that catered to their abilities. They were rather successful in accomplishing the tasks they set out for, but after a few long weeks away from home, Levy was desperate to lock herself away and submerge herself into a fantasy world only found on the written pages of her books. Gajeel hadn't been around much either – that much she knew. Their feelings for each other were put on the backburner while they both went out to work jobs that needed to be completed. But soon things would come to a head again, and Gajeel would have to face the script mage head on. The only question remained was would Levy want to face Gajeel?

* * *

"Home sweet home!"

"Yes! I can't wait to sleep in my own bed again."

Jet and Droy high fived one another when the town of Magnolia came into view. Levy had been impressed by their improved skill. The three wizards had always worked well together – their powers connected in a way that reinforced how strong of a bond they had with one another – but after these collective jobs that they had worked together, Levy realized that strength definitely came in numbers.

"Me too! Don't be alarmed if I don't come out of my Levy cave for a while, guys. I am dying to get my hands on that new book Lucy was telling me about."

"Oh Levy." Jet shook his head with a small chuckle. "You and your romance novels."

The two men looked at each other before they both cracked a laugh and Levy punched them both in the shoulder playfully.

"Hey! Don't be picking fun at me!" Levy couldn't help but laugh too. The sun was setting and they would be home right after dinner time. It was the perfect ending to an exciting adventure with Team Shadowgear.

"You guys want to hit up the guild before we part ways?"

"Sure, Levy! I hope there's some good food waiting on us."

"Yeah – I could go for a cupcake or something."

The trio turned their trail south through the streets, closing in on their targeted destination at rapid speed.

Upon entering the guild, shouts of welcome hit their ears.

"It's about time you guys came back!"

"How much jewel did you earn this time, guys?"

"Ooh, any awesome stories to tell?"

"Levy, did you meet a cute boy?"

Levy just plastered a smile on her face as her heart swelled with pride and joy at the inquiring minds of her guild mates. She might not be as powerful as someone like Natsu, but everyone still cared enough to ask her about her jobs. Levy took a seat as Mira brought over nourishment for herself and the guys. She looked around at her friends who surrounded her, starting her tale about the latest mission that they had completed.

"Well….it all started when…."

* * *

"Come on, slowpoke! We'll be out here all night if you don't move it."

"Watch what you say, Cat. I don't take kindly to being nagged and you know it."

"Well, if you hadn't decided to lug that heavy piece of iron back with you, we would have made it back to the guild two days ago."

"Hey, this is a special piece of iron. The flavoring is almost a delicacy and I probably wouldn't have been able to find it anywhere else in Fiore."

Lily shook his head at Gajeel and silently wished he had been matched up with a difference dragon slayer. Hell, he'd almost take Natsu after being stuck with this new, chivalrous, self-loathing version of Gajeel. It was disgusting. It was pathetic. And it was all because of some girl. A small smile curled on Lily's lips at that thought. It was about time he saw this side of Gajeel come out.

Gajeel, meanwhile, trucked along, holding the iron beam across his shoulders. It dug into his skin, but he didn't care. This was a rare find and he'd be damned if he'd let it escape just like that. The pair had gone off on their own to complete a job – Gajeel had grown restless in Levy's absence and he had needed something to occupy his time. Lily had made the request to complete a job and c'est la vie – the pair were headed off into the unknown.

"What are you doing when you get back to the guild, Gajeel?"

"Hmm. I'm not sure. Maybe I'll go have a beer after I deposit this somewhere safe."

"Gajeel – I highly doubt that anyone is going to steal your iron."

"Shut it, Cat."

It didn't take him long to deposit his prize and stumble up to the guild. Luckily, he'd found a good place to deposit the iron without anyone really noticing (or caring) that it was there. He'd take it home for a late night snack if he felt like it. Otherwise, it would stay in his secret hiding place until further notice.

Not that anyone really cared anyway.

Pushing open the doors to the guild, welcomes greeted him. It was nice to see that he had a few friendly faces to look forward to after each job he took, even if the one he was searching for wasn't around.

"Hi Gajeel." Mira's voice practically sang to him as he took a seat at the bar top. "How was the job? You look like you need a shower." She'd noticed the stains from the iron beam on his shoulders and the way his eyes looked tired. It was definitely time that Gajeel had a few days to himself.

"Just got back into town, but thought I'd stop by and check in before I head home. Can you pour me a drink? I could use a beer." Gajeel rubbed his eyes with his hands, giving a slight yawn as he waited for his drink.

"Well, it seems like everyone is coming home today. It's nice to have you back, Gajeel. Team Shadowgear got in a few hours ago and Erza stumbled in with Natsu and the gang before Levy got back. The whole crew is due for a few days off, I think. You guys wear yourself out too quickly." She placed the mug down in front of Gajeel before she patted him on the back. "Have a good night, okay?"

Gajeel gave a grunt to Mira in response, pressing the cool liquid to his lips and sipping greedily. Levy was back in town. He'd have to start coming up with other ways to win her trust back. Did she think he was sorry? Did she accept his apology with the first act? Who was Gajeel kidding – one way of showing Levy he was sorry wasn't nearly enough to make things right.

* * *

It had taken him a while to think things over. Really, it had. The job that Lily had suggested had given him the perfect opportunity to reflect on the conversations that he'd had with Levy. She had sure been mad at him the other night, but to be fair, he'd pretty much deserved everything she dished out at him. One of his biggest flaws was that he was too stubborn to see straight sometimes, and it when it came to Levy….well, it just turned him into an idiot. His Valentine's Day plans should have gone different. Part of him wished that he would have just told her how he felt because then he could have avoided the whole job ordeal. She wouldn't have had to deal with the dark wizard and he wouldn't have seen the look of fear in her eyes when he approached her. But after the minute explanation that she gave him, he was starting to realize that she'd had a point. Levy had gone into survival mode. The punch to his eye was a way to protect herself from pain. Physical pain.

Memories of their first meeting plagued him. He couldn't believe that he'd been such an idiot and so focused that he caused pain to another person, let alone someone he had developed feelings for. Levy wasn't like the other people in the guild. She had a lot of qualities that only she carried, and that was a big reason why Gajeel enjoyed her company so much. She was so smart – so very smart. It was intoxicating to hear her speak, using language that he both understood and didn't understand. She was his walking encyclopedia – his Shortstack, his Shrimp. She had more fierceness than anyone else in the guild. No one dared mess with Levy.

Gajeel sighed as he placed the glass back on the counter. His mind was a mess, but it was so difficult to concentrate on his thoughts. His mind wrapped around the words that Levy spoke to him the last time he had been home – how she'd stood in front of his home in nothing but her silly rubber ducky pajamas and fuzzy slippers. She was still the cutest thing he'd ever seen – even with her face scrunched up in a frown. Gajeel promised he'd never tell her that when she was angry. He'd seen that sort of thing back fire on many men before. She'd been right in telling him that he needed to listen to her. Even Lily had agreed as they discussed what had happened later that night. Sometimes, it was hard to get through that thick skull of his. When Gajeel thought about the words that Levy had spoken, he realized quickly that the feelings she felt for him reflected the same feelings he felt for her. But fear still covered his heart and it wouldn't be an easy process for him to overcome it.

First, he'd work on gaining her trust and friendship back. That was the most important thing he could think of. Before he'd realized that he loved Levy, he had been her friend. Friendship was the key to any good relationship, and Gajeel wasn't sure that he wanted to sacrifice that strong bond that they had. Once that was rebuilt, he'd consider making things a bit more permanent.

Time. That's all he really needed.

A heavily perfumed scent covered his nostrils. It intoxicated him every time he caught the scent. A rusty smell, it was – books hidden away until they were found, hints of lavender and vanilla, and then a special spice that was specific to the person who wore it. Levy's laughter caressed his ears and he almost groaned out load. So caught up in his thoughts, Gajeel hadn't noticed that Levy had been in the same room as him for almost thirty minutes. His eyes sought her out, landing on her as she laughed again. She was surrounded by her friends and Gajeel couldn't help but smile at her infectious grin. Did she not realize how beautiful she really was? His eyes couldn't turn away from the contours of her face.

* * *

"And then Droy did it again!"

Howls of laughter erupted around her as Droy flushed a deep red. Levy was such a talented story teller and everyone was hanging onto her words.

"Now, Levy, don't forget that I wasn't the only one!" He cried out in his embarrassment, turning the attention from the script mage to that of himself. "Jet was involved in…."

Levy was so grateful for her companions. They really made life worth living. She sipped her drink and chomped on some finger foods as she listened to more conversation around her. She was tired and participating more after her last story was a chore almost. Levy took her time and studied everyone at the table with her, remembering the happiness she saw on their faces and imprinting it into her mind. It was always important to do that from time to time, because there would be dark days and smiles were the easiest way to get through them.

The hair on the back of her next rose and she felt her ears burn. It was as if someone was watching her, but she didn't see anyone around her doing anything other than conversing with each other. She'd been asked a few questions, but everyone's attention seemed to be turned to another story being told by someone else at the table. Levy leaned close to Lucy and explained that she needed to use the ladies room. Her friend nodded in acknowledgement and Levy was pulling her chair away from the table and grabbing her mug to take to Mira.

Levy almost dropped the mug as she turned to lock eyes with none other than Gajeel. She stood there for what seemed like hours, his gaze practically eating her alive as she stood there. She forgot that she was supposed to be mad at him and gave Gajeel a soft smile in acknowledgement. He blinked in response and Levy knew that he intended on talking to her soon.

Quickly, she placed the mug on the table she had just risen from, deciding that it was best to ignore him for a while. She'd have to face him eventually. She knew they needed to have another talk. Frankly, it made her angrier that she had to waste her time talking to him. At this point, she was practically dying for a replay of the other night – his lips on hers, his hands on her body, her fingers tugging at his hair, his breath on her…..

"Stop it, Levy." She said to herself as she splashed some water on her face. Her cheeks were a bright red after the momentary lapse in controlling her daydreams. It was true – she'd often thought about Gajeel and what it would have been like if they hadn't stopped. The kiss had happened so quickly, but Levy knew that Gajeel wouldn't have been quick about anything else. Her blushed deepened as she tried to force those promiscuous thoughts from her mind again. "Seriously. He's out there. He can probably hear you. It's not right that you're having these thoughts. You're supposed to be mad at him."

She put her hands on the counter top, looking up from the sink to stare at herself in the mirror. "Who am I kidding?" Levy sighed to herself, brown eyes looking at her reflection. "He's trying to make things right. He bought me flowers." But was that really enough? "No. It's not enough. He kissed me and insulted me. I'm not wasting my time anymore."

Levy tugged at her dress and made sure that her leggings weren't bundle in a strange way, then she marched out the door and back into the guild hall. Except a hand grasped her upper arm and Levy felt a surprised, soft sound escape her.

* * *

Had he seriously resorted to kidnapping her?

Gajeel's fingers grasped Levy's arm as he tugged her out a side door. Her scent was heavier and heavier – had he even been thinking when he went to wait for her outside the ladies room? Her body crashed into his as the fresh air hit both of them. He heard her sigh into his chest as his arms came up around her. He felt her relax her shoulders, momentarily distracted by the feeling of him against her.

It was so nice to have her like this, but Gajeel knew that the feeling would only last a minute. Levy was pushing against him within the next second and her questioning voice hit his ears as if it was the lifesaving song he'd been waiting for.

"What the hell are you doing, Gajeel?"

Instinct took over him as he looked into her eyes. His judgement had always been clouded when Levy was involved. She'd told him to stop making decisions for her and this was the first time that he wasn't making decisions FOR her. He was making decisions for himself, and with that, he shut up her questioning by pushing Levy's back against the door and taking her mouth with his own.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

I felt like another kiss was definitely needed. I'm sorry for the lack of posting the last few days - been going through some unexpected changes with my job and studying for a credential exam that I don't have much time for.

R&R appreciated - You guys all rock and your excitement for this story has really gotten me interested in writing some others. Jerza anyone? NaLu? Gruvia? I should seriously see who I'd like to write next. What do you guys think of this addition? Excited to see what part 2 holds for Gajevy?


	14. Chapter 14

**_Chapter: "What the hell are you doing, Gajeel?" - Part 2 of 2_**

* * *

 _Kiss her._

His mind was in a whirlwind and Gajeel found himself acting on pure instinct rather than rational thought. There was no way he could hold himself together – all of those plans he'd had to woo her were thrown out the window the instant he laid his hands on her body. She was warm and smooth, pliable and soft. Gajeel felt the tingling sensation of arousal deep within the pit of his stomach. Did Levy know how incredible she was? Did she not know everything that she had done to him since the moment they had met? Her words had been lost as his mouth slanted over hers. There was nothing stopping them from clinging to each other – nothing but the night air that surrounded them and the sounds of their guild mates inside, anyway.

Levy's body molded into his. She'd stopped fighting him moments ago, realizing that her own feelings of anger, frustration, passion, and love were boiling over just as much as Gajeel's. This moment had been coming for a while now. Levy just realized that it was time to let it happen.

Her lips opened, hot and wet under his kisses, allowing his tongue to swoop in and claim what was his. Gajeel wasted no time in getting to know her mouth, using all of his stops to explore and remember what it was like to kiss Levy with this much passion. Their first kiss had been glorious, yes, but this kiss….this kiss was torrential, painful, and full of so much passion that his chest ached with the brilliant feelings opening inside of him. Hands moved down her back, clasping her closer to him until they couldn't get any closer to one another.

Levy's hands had a mind of their own as well, roaming up Gajeel's chest and finally settling themselves around his neck. Her fingers teased the long strands of hair that she felt with the tips of her fingers, loving his nontraditional locks and falling in deeper with each second. Her heart ached, butterflies took flight in her stomach, and when they finally tore their lips from one another, Levy felt her breath escape her.

The pair stood there – Gajeel's hands locked on Levy's hips, Levy's hands curved around Gajeel's neck – looking deep into each other's eyes, unable to formulate the words that they needed to speak to one another. Both were breathing heavily within moments, trying to catch their breath as they both tried to understand what was going on between them.

"Gajeel."

Levy's voice was soft as her hand moved to caress his cheek. He pressed his cheek into her palm, kissing it with his lips. Levy felt his studs, curious about them – curious about Gajeel. They both had so much to learn about one another, but...

"I'm sorry."

His words struck a chord within her, causing her stumble on her own response. But she didn't need to say anything, because Gajeel saw everything in her eyes. She was so easy to read when she was taken off guard, just like the books she loved to carry around with her.

"Please let me make it up to you. I know I'm not always the best at these things and I don't really understand my feelings, but….." Gajeel paused as he thought about his choice of words. "But I know I want to be your friend, Levy McGarden, and I think….well, I think I might want to be more than your friend."

Levy tilted her head at Gajeel, completely unable to keep her smile to herself. This was a change from the Gajeel she'd spoken to only weeks ago. Her hand unconsciously moved from Gajeel's form to that of the necklace that she'd held onto during so many of those lonely nights while she'd been away from the guild. Gajeel didn't miss the moment, his hand coming to rest upon the one that was gripping the lacrima.

"I didn't realize what I was doing when I made this, but it makes sense now." He grinned and pulled the necklace from her fingers, turning it over to the words that he had inscribed on the back. "I thought you would have figured it out by now, but I'm correct in assuming that you don't know the secret to this, do you?" Gajeel chuckled as Levy gave her head a nod in response. He moved closer to her then, their noses almost touching with his nearness. Levy gulped loudly, unsure of what he was about to tell her or what he was about to do to her. Her hand was tugged back into his and her finger was forced to trace the small design beneath his question. She'd thought nothing of it. But….maybe she should have looked into it more.

"You're the first person I've ever told this to, Levy." His red eyes sealed her in, locking with her wide brown orbs. "You can be angry with me – scream and stomp, tell me to leave you alone, but it doesn't change anything. I know it's a lot to take in and I know it's a bit of a stretch to consider it after all that we've been through but….do you know what it says?"

Levy's hand started to shake as they stood there. This was the moment that she had been waiting on for such a long time. She was so happy and yet…she was so terrified at the same time. Did she really know Gajeel? Was she okay with telling him that she did love him? Was she even certain that her feelings were that of love and not that of lust? Why was life so confusing?

"Gajeel…this is…this is a lot." Levy said, her mind reeling with questions and confusion. Hadn't he just said he didn't know how he felt? How could he jump from that to tell her that he loved her five seconds later? This was so frustrating and scattered. This was now how she expected this to go.

But Gajeel chuckled in response to her concern, his hand dropping the lacrima back to her chest. "Love comes in a lot of capacities, Levy." His hand moved to brush a stray piece of hair out of her face and the softness of Gajeel took her breath away again. "You were the first person to accept me even after I hurt you. You gave me hope when I didn't have any with this guild. You were my first friend. You can't imagine what my life was like before you came into it." Sadness enveloped him as he tore his eyes away from hers. "I don't want you to get the wrong idea though. I do have feelings for you." Red eyes contacted hers again, and Levy felt herself drowning with his admission.

"You…you have feelings for me? Are you sure?" He could see the slight blush on her cheeks. Her lips were still swollen and Gajeel ached to feel them against his again.

"Of course I'm sure, Shrimp. I don't say things I don't mean."

"Do you see how easy it was to admit that, Gajeel?"

"Huh?"

"Oh my god, is that….Lily?"

The blunette quickly jumped back from Gajeel, almost immediately regretting it because his warmth had been so nice. Gajeel's eyes never left the small black Exceed as he stood there grinning at the two wizards.

"Cat! What are you…"

"Oh shut it, Gajeel. I'm proud of you." The Exceed approached the dragon slayer and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "It's about time. Levy, he's been all mopey since you left with Jet and Droy. I had to get him away from here or I was afraid he'd combust. You had a lot of balls standing up to him that night, by the way. I wanted to tell you sooner to just give the guy a chance, but eh, it seems like things worked out as they should anyway."

Lily pushed his way passed both of them, heading for the door that lead back into the guild hall. "Gajeel, don't do anything I wouldn't. I'll be sure to let the others that you have retired for the night, Levy. That way they don't coming looking for you, if you know what I mean."

Levy did know exactly what Lily meant. Her eyes refused to meet Gajeel's and she stared at her feet until she was certain Lily was inside the building.

"Levy."

Gajeel's voice stroked her ears and she hesitated for a moment before she looked up at him.

"Are you afraid of me?"

"Why would I be afraid of you, Gajeel?"

"Because I hurt you."

"But you won't do it again, will you?"

"Never."

"Good."

Silence lingered between them for a few more seconds. Levy wasn't sure what to do next and Gajeel looked just as clueless. Clenching her fists to give herself a little push, she took a few steps toward him.

"So…you have feelings for me, huh?"

"Yeah. I sure do, Shrimp."

"Well…."Levy stood in front of him now, her hands snaking around his waist as she spoke. "I think I have feelings for you too."

His heart soared as she finally spoke the words he need to hear. His own hands ran up her backside as she pressed herself against him.

"But we need to take things slow, okay?" Levy was on her tiptoes at this point, her eyes half closed and her lips parted as her body readied herself for the kiss she knew was coming.

"Whatever you want, Shrimp. Whatever you want…"

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

There might be a lemon next chapter.

*hides from everyone*

R&R appreciated! 3


	15. Chapter 15

**CITRUS ALERT: Lemon to follow. Very lemony. Under 18? Scram, kiddo. Explicit content ahead!**

* * *

"What…whatever I want…" Levy sighed as she lifted her mouth up, letting Gajeel claim it with ease. They paid no heed to the individuals inside the building and their kisses became heavy with the words they had both been longing to say for quite some time. It was all new territory, but to Levy, they fit together. Like peanut butter and jelly.

"Oh Gajeel." She said, breathlessly, his lips trailing from hers. Hot kisses were pressed along her cheek to her jaw, down to her neck. Teeth and lips tugged at the sensitive skin there, and Levy felt warmth pool between her thighs. His hands were on her hips, rubbing up and down the sides of her body before they wrapped around her. His teeth gave her a little bite at the same time, and Levy felt the moan escape her lips.

Gajeel grinned to himself, loving the responses that she let loose when he touched that spot in just the right way. Her scent from her hair filled his nostrils and Gajeel inhaled deeply, loving the floral scent compounded with that of her own body. God, she was amazing. His hands teased at the bottom of her shirt, wondering if he reached up inside and just….

But Levy had wanted to take things slow. Gajeel, remembering that he told her she could have control over this, took a deep breath and removed his hands from her body. Levy's chest was rising and he could practically feel the heat rising from her. Arosal was strong in the air and Gajeel had to take another step back from Levy in order to keep his cool. Fingers ran through his hair as he gave her a small chuckle.

"We're getting a little carried away with ourselves, don't you think?"

Levy gave him a weak smile, but her eyes never left his. How on earth could his touch make her feel like this? Her hand reached up to the side of her neck where he had dug his teeth into her skin and she remembered the sensation as if it was still happening. Her thighs squeezed together in response – a fact that Gajeel didn't miss.

"Yeah…I guess so."

Levy looked so defeated. She had been enjoying herself immensely. She hated herself for telling him that she wanted to take things slow. God, she really wanted to strip him naked right there and well….well, she would do whatever she had to do to get him to give her a moan himself. A blush stained her cheeks at the thought and Gajeel looked at her, concern written all over his face.

"Is something wrong?"

Levy pulled herself out of her thoughts and refocused her attention on Gajeel. There was a decent amount of distance between them and Levy felt herself shiver at the change in temperature. She hadn't realized that he'd need to take a step back from her, but now that he was away, it was painfully obvious how it had killed him to let her go like that.

"Um…well…I feel so silly saying this. Nevermind. It's not important. Forget it."

Levy turned on her toes, heading back toward the door that lead back into the guild hall. She'd at least go say goodnight to everyone. But sticking around while she felt like this? With frustration practically oozing from her pores? Yeah, that wasn't going to happen.

"Levy, where do you think you're going?"

His breath was heavy next to her ear and it sent a shifter down her spine. Her hand was resting on the doorknob, but when she had tried to open it, it wouldn't budge. Instead, Gajeel had placed his hand at the top of the door, preventing her from opening it herself.

"You need to tell me what you felt so silly about just a minute ago, or neither of us will make it home tonight. I'll make you stand here until you tell me what you're thinkin'."

Gajeel wasn't joking either. He'd make her stay here with him for as long as it took.

"Come on, Shrimp. Just spit it out."

Levy closed her eyes and turned her body so that it was facing Gajeel. She inhaled deeply, giving her a second to collect her strength before she blurted it out.

"Iwaswonderingifwecoulddothatagain."

Her words were jumbled and quickly spoken, but Gajeel heard every single word. A low growl sounded in his chest as he placed his hands on Levy's body. Within seconds, she was hoisted into his arms, her own hands fumbling as she clung to his neck for support.

"Where are we going!?" Levy asked loudly as she became lost in the rush.

"Well, I'm not going to make out with you behind the guildhall all night, if that's what you're asking about."

"Oh." She paused, thinking about where they could be going. "Does that mean we're going to your place?"

Gajeel only laughed in response. She'd know soon enough – the porch she had stood in front of loomed before.

* * *

He'd keep her out of the bedroom. If she went into the bedroom, he couldn't promise that he wouldn't just take her right then and there. The feelings that they both had been feeling caused him to lose control of his body. All of the nights that she had been so close to him on jobs, all the times she'd given him little hints as to her feelings and he'd never taken them, all those times he wished he had just reached over and kissed her…..they all came crashing down tonight and his body thought they had lost time to make up for. Levy was obviously feeling the same, otherwise she would have told him that she'd see him later and that would be that. Instead, she had asked him for more bodily pleasures, and Gajeel couldn't have been more excited to honor her request.

"Welcome to my home." Gajeel stated gruffly. He opened the door and held it as Levy walked passed him. She was impressed by the orderly state inside. Immediately, she figured that most of the décor had been Lily's doing. Gajeel didn't seem like a paint and wallpaper kind of guy.

"It's nice. Have you been here lo….?"

Her body was turned toward Gajeel and his lips were on hers again. He was like a dying man. His only wish was to get more of Levy until he couldn't stand it anymore. His hands grabbed her, lifting her so that her legs wrapped around his midsection. The way his erection pushed into her soft skin made her blush – she'd never been this close with a man before. Her mind drifted from that as her hands dove into his hair, clinging to him as he lowered both of their bodies to the couch. His weight was delicious on top of her and she felt the hard contours of his body pressing against her soft curves. It was delightful and when Gajeel tore his mouth from hers, she gave another cry as his lips found that sweet spot at her nape.

"Do you know how long I've been dying to do this to you, Levy?" Gajeel asked breathlessly between kisses and nibbles.

"I don't care, Gajeel. I don't care because if you stop, I might die."

Gajeel let out a chuckle, this time his hands growing bolder.

"Tell me when to stop. Just tell me when and I'll do it."

"Don't stop. Please!"

His hands had moved under her shirt, caressing her breasts. He'd remove her bra eventually, but for now, he wanted to introduce her to pleasure that he had to offer her slowly. His fingers teased the skin under the cotton and he used his digits to pinch her nipples. She gave a jolt and a moan, which tantalized the dragon slayer. He wanted more. He wanted to see how she would respond when it was just his skin on hers.

If this was hell, Levy wanted to stay there forever. She was in Gajeel's arms, her mouth attached to his as his fingers played along her breasts. Her breath caught in her chest as he pushed the material of her bra up, his fingers getting the first taste of her bare skin. Levy's body was on fire in a way she'd never felt before. All she could think about was Gajeel and the things he was doing to her body. The way his fingers trailed over her chest, hovering over her sensitive buds and questioning whether or not he should take this any further. Levy knew that they were heading over to second base, but she didn't want to stop him from going further. Taking things slow…god, she should have known she wouldn't have made it with this incredible man touching her.

With an arch, her back pressed her chest up into his fingers, giving him a sign that it was okay to keep going. The look of concern washed from his features and he closed his eyes in a silent prayer. Lord help him. He was going to end up sleeping with Levy McGarden tonight.

Impatience and discomfort washed over Levy's features. She pushed against his chest, causing Gajeel to lean back quickly.

"What's wrong?"

He asked, but his answer soon came in the form of Levy lifting her shirt and bra, tugging them both off of her body and leaving her half naked in his living room. Gajeel just looked at her, enjoying the sight of her nakedness for the first time. Levy, quickly growing self-conscious, blushed again and used her arms to cover her body.

"Hey now, don't be gettin' shy on me." Gajeel said softly, motioning for her to join him on the other side of the couch. "I like the sight. Don't hide it."

It took all of her conscious thought to move her hands from her chest as she crawled over to Gajeel. Before she was allowed to get comfortable, he evened the score, removing his own shirt.

"Remember what I told you, Levy. Just tell me when."

"I will, Gajeel."

"Promise?"

"Yeah."

He claimed her lips again in a sweet kiss as his hands moved up her newly naked torso. His fingers splayed out on her breasts. God, she was so sweet. So incredible. And the best part? She was all his.

Turning so that she was beneath him again, he trailed kisses down her neck and chest, teasing her as he circled her nipples with his fingers. A soft lick to one gave her an introduction to the feeling and when he latched onto it completely with his mouth, Levy bucked underneath him at the sensation.

"Oh my god!" Her fingers tugged at his black mane as he sucked and nibbled at her body. "Oh my god! Yes!"

He continued to tease her, moving from one breast to the other after completely lavishing her. Levy was squeezing her thighs to stop the pressure from building, but it was no use. She wanted Gajeel. She wanted him so completely, it would eat her alive if he didn't hurry the hell up and take her pants off. Her thighs pushed up into Gajeel and she was rewarded with a growl as her body rubbed against his member. She repeated herself, over and over again. She was not naïve to know that he was turned on like she was. Her romance novels had given her plenty of clues as to what this process entailed.

"You better stop that or you'll be in trouble."

His warning was as serious as a heart attack, but Levy didn't stop her movements, causing Gajeel to readjust his position and lose interest in her breasts. She almost cried as he stopped, but when his hands came to the button on her jeans, she couldn't help the "Oh" that escaped her.

"I warned you to stop, Levy."

Fire burned in his eyes and he didn't break the contact with her own until her pants were down around her ankles. Levy laid there frozen to the spot, unsure of what was going to happen next. Her pants were dropped to the floor in the next instant and then Levy felt Gajeel's warm hand on her panties.

"Ga…Gajeel?" Her hand flew to his wrist, grabbing it as she questioned him.

He took a deep steadying breath before he let his eyes work their way back up to Levy's. She could stop him now. It was going to be her last chance before he broke down and took her on his couch.

"Levy."

"Don't…..don't…." She gulped and loosened her grip on his wrist. "Don't hurt me."

His fingers took her soon after, her panties discarded in shreds on the floor. Levy's hips moved underneath his fingers, her soft moans urging him forward as he inflicted the torture of sexual pleasure on the blonde mage beneath him.

"Gajeel! Please! I…I can't take it!" She grabbed at his arm while his fingers tormented her. Her desperation for release hit his ears and Gajeel made a conscious effort to not drive her over the edge. He wanted the first orgasm he ever gave her to be given by another part of his body instead of his fingers.

Removing himself from her quickly, he stripped his pants down his legs, letting Levy take in all of his massive manhood. Levy clenched her thighs together – how was she supposed to fit that inside of her?

"Spread those thighs for me, Levy." He cooed as he rejoined her on the couch, his naked body pressed fully upon hers. His lips were decending down to hers again, but a thought had him hesitating for just a minute.

"Are you on birth control?"

It was an important question. Neither one of them were ready for children. Hell, they weren't even sure what they were yet.

Levy's face, permanently flushed it seemed, looked at Gajeel solemnly and nodded her response.

"Of course. I'd be silly not to, especially in a co-ed guild. You never know what could happen." Always prepared, his Levy was. It took all of his willpower to not chuckle at her response.

"Good." Gajeel's lips stole hers as he moved between her legs, pausing his assault on her body when he pressed the tip of his manhood into her. She cringed, tightening underneath him.

"Shhh, Levy. Look at me." He pressed blue hair out of her face. "Tell me to stop. Please tell me to stop, Levy."

Her brown eyes opened after she had winced from the sensation of his tip stretching her. "No. I want you, Gajeel."

He groaned and held himself back. "It's going to hurt, Levy. I promise it'll be just for a minute. Are you sure you don't want me to stop?"

His conscious was warring with his body. He was about to combust if he didn't get to feel her soon. When he heard her mutter that she was certain, he groaned again, his forehead dropping down to hers. His body started to move on it's own accord, pushing in deeper into her wet heat. She squirmed underneath him, her gasp at feeling his size inside of her catching in his ears. It wasn't long before that barrier caused him to stop his progression inside of her, but it had to be done. He pulled out slowly, changing his course once he knew he could get through this quickly.

With a grunt, he pressed himself fully into her, tearing through the thin membrane that had marked her virginity. Pride swelled in his chest at that thought – no one else would ever have Levy. She would forever and always be his.

Wet tears coated both of their faces as Levy fought the pain that rushed through her body. It really had hurt her, but Gajeel was kind enough to wait until it had started to subside. He moved a few minutes later and a different feeling overwhelmed her. She bucked her hips at the pressure, and a soft string of moans left her lips.

Fingers tore into the skin on his back as he continued to move against her. Levy was not a girl who was boring in bed. Her hips clashed with his as soon as the pain was gone and she began to fight for her own release. Sounds of skin on skin and heavy breathing filled the room. Moans erupted from both of them, and the sound of Levy's name on his lips took her to the brink of insanity.

"Oh my god, Gajeel! Yes! Right. There. RIGHT THERE!"

His grunts in response to her own cries were enough. She began to unravel underneath him and as her slickness milked him for all he was worth, Gajeel let her name rip through his lips and he released all of the pent up frustration he held inside of him too.

He collapsed on top of her, supporting himself with his elbows. His breathing was heavy, mixing with hers, and their bodies were coated in a thick sheen of sweat. Gajeel couldn't help but laugh at the delicious look on Levy's face. She was still flushed, her eyes closed, but the sweet smile on her lips was enough to make him lean down and kiss her again.

"You didn't tell me to stop, Shrimp."

"I would have been crazy to, Gajeel."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

My first ever describing Levy's first ever. It's safe to say that it might not be too good, but I hope it's not too terrible.

I thought it was needed. It's about time this Gajevy story had a little citrus to it.

Also, to Chattre, welcome to the wonderful world of Gajevy/GaLe. They are definitely my OTP.

R&R guys. Keep up the comments! I love seeing your words of encouragement!

SIDE NOTE: I will be posting another Gajevy story soon. This one isn't in danger of ending yet - don't worry. BUT I just got to the grand magic games and I have ideas like WHOA. Be sure to follow me to get an update when that is posted if you want to read more!


	16. Chapter 16

So…

Taking things slow hadn't really happened.

Levy lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Her mind wandered to what had just transpired, Gajeel's soft snores only alerting her to the fact that he had fallen asleep in blissful comfort. Levy's hands were behind her head and her mind was full of so many questions. What were they now? Did this change things? Would he finally stop beating himself up? Would she finally be able to get a few words in? They had stayed up after their intimacy, talking with one another, laughing with one another. Levy remembered pressing a kiss to Gajeel's nose, smiling widely as she almost let slip those words she knew she felt.

I love you seemed so far away and yet so close at the same time. She'd done enough reading in her days to know that sex usually clouded judgement. When those words threatened to spill out of her lips, Levy quickly prevented them from doing so. She'd decided that she would let things happen at the pace they were supposed to happen, but saying I love you first was not on her agenda. Levy wasn't one to give her heart over easily – after all, her infatuation with Gajeel had been a long time coming. She'd never found anyone who challenged her like he did. He pushed her to be better – a better person, a better friend, a better Levy. But she was terrified of what that meant. What if he didn't feel the same way about her? What if she said that she loved him and he was only interested in a short term fling? What if he didn't even want to be in committed relationship?

Panic struck her with that thought, and Levy found herself biting her fingernails in nervousness. If she didn't get an answer to that question, she would go crazy. Gajeel was the only one she had ever slept with – what if he went around and slept with god knows who else while she kept her legs closed for anyone but him? That didn't seem fair and Levy was NOT okay with sleeping around. It had taken her this long to lose "it" – she wasn't going to turn around and try to seduce someone like…Natsu? The thought of that happening gave her chills and not in a good way.

"Gajeel!" Levy whispered. She wasn't sure why she didn't just speak up – it hadn't seemed that Lily returned home so there was no one to bother but the dragon slayer next to her.

"Gajeel!" This time, Levy used her body to rock him. "Please wake up!" His giant hand started to move, but it only wrapped around her, drawing her closer to him. She yelped as he caged her against him.

"Gajeel! Dammit, please wake up!" Her voice was louder this time and she was tempted to resort to her script magic if he didn't budge soon. Gajeel's face nuzzled into her shoulder and Levy felt him sigh. His eyes never opened, but he inhaled against her deeply.

"Mmmmm. Shrimp. You smell…" He growled lowly as his hand traveled down her body to her chest. Was he seriously going to fondle her right now? Slapping his hand away, Levy squirmed out of his grasp.

"Gajeel. Wake up. We need to talk about something."

"Shrimp, it's late. Can we talk in the morning?"

"No." Her voice was heavy and her reply was final. Gajeel sighed as he peeked through his sleep covered eyes and let out a yawn.

"You're making my life difficult right now, Levy."

"Good. You need to be given a hard time occasionally, Gajeel."

Gajeel grunted in response, but in his mind, he was thinking something entirely different. How red would she blush if he told her she was already giving him a hard time?

"Okay, so…."

"What's eating you? Let's get this over with so we can both get back to sleep."

"….."

"Levy. Use your words."

"I've never done this before so bare with me."

"I've already bared with you, Shrimp. I'm currently bare with you. I don't think I can get any more bare than this." Gajeel lifted his blanket to expose his still naked body and a blush appeared on Levy's cheeks.

"Well…fine. You're such a smart ass. Look, my mind won't shut up until you give me an answer."

"About what?"

"About whether or not you're going to be sleeping with anyone else."

"Is that all, Shrimp?"

"Is that all?!" Levy's mouth hung open in response to his question, only to close as he grabbed her again, turning her body so that her back was against his chest.

"Yeah. Is that all?"

"I..uh…I guess so."

"Good. Because you know the answer to that question already."

"I…I do?"

Gajeel chuckled as he nuzzled her, his teeth grazing the skin on her shoulder as he began to press kisses to her sensitive neck. "Yeah – you do, Levy. Why would I ever want to sleep with or next to someone who else? You're snoring is enough to keep all of the monsters under my bed away and even if it didn't, I bet I can think of another way to get them to take a hint." His lips tugged at her neck, sucking the sweet spot that had given her so much grief earlier that night.

"Uh….Ohhh. Gajeel." Levy muttered as her eyes fluttered shut.

"You're mine, Levy. All mine. And I don't plan on sharing you with anyone."

"….you're mine too then, Gajeel."

"Good."

* * *

The next day, Levy had a pep in her step. Sure, her muscles were sore, but damn. Her relationship with Gajeel had gone in a direction that she hadn't been expecting. She'd been so mad at him for disregarding her – she never would have thought that his feelings for her would have rivaled her own. Of course, she still wasn't 100% positive they were similar, but she knew that he wanted to be exclusive. The guild hall was buzzing with life today – new jobs had been posted and Levy was ready to get back out there. Perhaps she'd ask someone else to go with her instead of Jet and Droy. Sometimes, it was good to branch out, and judging from the smiles on their faces as she approached them, they had something up their sleeves anyway.

"Hey Lev!"

"Hiya Sunshine!"

"Hey guys! How are you this morning?" Levy was a little too peppy, but she didn't pay any attention to it. The guys just looked at one another before they seemed to gush all over her at once.

"We're going on a mission!"

"Jet and I took our own job!"

They both looked so excited, but their expressions quickly turned to that of concern as they realized that one member of their team hadn't been included.

"Levy…you're not upset that we didn't include you are you?"

"Yeah, it just…you kept mentioning how tired you were. We were thinking that it would give you some time to rest. Maybe read a few books or something to take your mind off of whatever it is that's eating you."

Levy was silent for a moment before her smile lit up the room around them. "No way! You guys should do that every once in a while. Bonding time, ya know? Maybe I'll take a quest with Lucy. I could use a little girl time anyway." Levy shrugged her shoulder before leaning up to hug and give them both a giant kiss on their cheeks. "You guys are the best. We'll do another job when you get back – I promise! Just…just watch out for each other. I know you're gonna do great, but I still can't help but worry about you. You guys are my best friends!"

Both of them blushed at the kiss she had given them and rubbed the spot with their hands.

"Gee, thanks Lev! We'll bring you back a souvenir. Maybe we'll find a good book or two for you while we're out."

"You stay safe too, okay? I don't want to have to beat anyone up because they hurt you."

Levy talked to them until they forced her to turn her attention elsewhere. They had a job to prepare for and Levy had to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. Walking up to the job board, she browsed the available ones.

"Hmm….this one might be interesting…." It was an interpretation job. Apparently someone needed to decode an artifact, which seemed to be just up Levy's alley. "Maybe I'll do this one…."

A dark shadow fell over her and she let out a soft yelp as solid hands grasped her hips. A familiar face came down to press into the nook at her neck.

"You shouldn't be kissing other men, Shrimp."

Immediately, Levy stilled, only relaxing as she felt the movement of Gajeel's arms on her own. "Gajeel. You scared me."

"Hmm? Did I?"

"Yeah…" She let out a deep sigh, pushing herself into his chest.

"You weren't in bed when I woke up this morning."

"I'm sorry, Gajeel. I was just too restless to get up and run some errands today. I wanted to get a peek at the jobs before all the good ones were taken."

"I see." Gajeel looked at the paper in her hand, grabbing it after a few moments and tacking it back on the board.

"Hey! I wanted to take that one!"

"Nah, I think we'll go on this one."

"But Gajeel, I don't think that I can defeat any kind of monsters. That's a job more suited for you."

"And? I figured it would be an easy job to work on some of your skills in combat. I made you a promise."

"Oh."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Okay guys! Setting us up for their next job. Wonder what it'll be...

Random notes- Thanks for all of the support! I know I've had a few haters comment on this story, but c'est la vie. I write because I want to, not because it pleases everyone. I'm really glad that the majority of you have liked what I've had so far. Don't fret - we still have to get to where they tell each other three very special words before I end this story.

In addition - CHECK OUT MY NEW GAJEVY STORY, COME FLY WITH ME. It's going to have a different spin to it and will include other popular/not so popular ships. Look out for a THIRD Gajevy story (this time modern AU focused on college, love, and awkwardness) to be posted either later tonight or tomorrow.

Please R&R - I love to see your comments!

Apologies for the wait on this, but their story will continue to push forward, especially now that they got over the "hump"...er, nevermind.


	17. Chapter 17

"Was this what you had in mind when you decided that we were going to take this job?!" Levy shouted as she dodged a fire ball that had been thrown her way. She was doing her best to hold her own but a demon-like creature had been harassing her as soon as she got a second to catch her breath. If he was being honest with himself, Gajeel should have known better than to throw Levy right into something like this. But it was sink or swim with him, and Gajeel found a proud warmth spreading through his chest as he watched her. "You can jump in any time now, Gajeel! ANY TIME!"

Levy was frantic and trying her best to keep as calm as possible. The ends of her hair were already scorched and her water spells were not even coming close to touching this asshole.

"You're not thinking hard enough." His words rang in her ears, ending with one of his typical laughs. She wanted to kill him. It was all Gajeel's fault that she was stuck in this fucking mess. How did he know she wasn't thinking hard enough? Dammit, she was thinking as hard as she could! Another fireball came her way and she barely dodged it again. It clipped her shoulder, crisping the small hairs on the side of her neck. Her skin was already starting to turn raw and her magic power was dwindling down to nothing. If Gajeel didn't help her….

"You won't always have backup, Shrimp. You gotta learn to fight on your own two feet, especially if you want to start taking those damn higher missions. I know you're intelligent – but…..honestly, Shrimp, you don't have a damn fightin' bone in your body." Gajeel grinned at the demon-like creature assaulting Levy. Within five minutes, it was crumpled on the ground, Gajeel having barely broken a sweat.

* * *

"Come on, Shrimp. Don't be like this." Gajeel poked at Levy, who walked in front of him with her hands crossed over her chest. The poor thing was covered in bandages and she was pissed off at him for not helping her out sooner. Gajeel had to do his best to keep from laughing at her. Didn't she know that girls were always cute when they were made? A small squeal of anger escaped her as they approached a small hotel, indicating her desperation to get away from him as quickly as possible. Too bad he'd only requested one room for the both of them.

Gajeel shook his head as Levy reached the door, stopping because her hands were full with her bags and because it hurt her too much to move her left arm. She didn't even look at him as he moved around her, hoisting his own bag over his shoulder and using his hands to open the door for her. Once at the check in desk, Gajeel provided the information needed, while the clerk just stared at the giant dragon slayer and the petite woman who looked as red as a fire ant (and as angry as one too).

"Good luck, man." The clerk said as he handed Gajeel the key. Gajeel just nodded in appreciation.

* * *

"I still don't understand how the hell he beat five of those things at once." Levy muttered to herself as she waited outside the room. Gajeel was following behind her with the key and damned if she was going to let him sleep next to her tonight. She was so angry that he let her get hurt, but Levy should have known better – Gajeel wasn't exactly the kindest when it came to combat.

"Oi, Short Stack. Let's change your bandages and put some more silver cream on it. You don't want to get an infection."

"I wouldn't have a goddamn chance of getting an infection if you'd stepped in like you promised." Levy once again muttered under her breath as she shuffled passed him, throwing her bags down on the bed to the best of her ability. She was so grateful to Mira for placing a first aid kit into the bag Levy had brought with her. It was like Mira had known something was going to happen to poor Levy.

* * *

Gajeel shook his head with a smile, watching Levy's blue head pop into the room and then out of sight. What was he going to do with her? Gajeel hoisted his bag back onto his shoulder, moving deeper into the room after Levy. He watched her wince as she gingerly touched her bandage, but Gajeel was there to help her in an instant.

"I know it hurts, but….let me help." He said softly, his bag long forgotten on the floor. Levy resigned and let Gajeel help removed her bandage. Gingerly, he peeled the pieces of the cottony square away, but she was going to need it cleaned before he could do any more work to it. "Levy…." His voice was soft and soothing to her, her eyes closing as his hot breath skimmed across the sensitive skin of her neck. "We need to clean this. It won't be fun but….we've gotta do it."

Gajeel watched as Levy practically flinched at his words, but gradually she gave him a sigh that let him know that she understood the necessity. There was no healer that could help them – not until they found Wendy at the guild upon their return. He was the best option she had. Gajeel moved his large hand in front of her, holding it out to her so that she could slip her palm inside. Yes, he could see that she was still irritated with him, but she'd put all that behind her for a little while at least. Levy wasn't that unreasonable.

He led her to the bathroom, undressing her once they reached the edge of the bathtub. He hadn't seen her naked since the night he had told her that he had feelings for her. The sight of her – bruised and battered – made his inner dragon fester with anger. Irrational thoughts flittered through his head. Who did this to her? Who could harm her? He had to find them and destroy them! But Gajeel had already gotten the answers and the resolution to the thoughts that ran through his head. He had successful eradicated anyone who dared harm his Levy.

 _His Levy._

* * *

"Gajeel…I need help." Levy turned in Gajeel's arms, giving him the saddest look she could muster. Of course, it was completely on purpose. If she was going to be incapacitated for a small amount of time due to his miscalculations, he was going to suffer from the biggest pair of puppy dog eyes she could muster. She'd make him feel guilty. She'd tell him to stop apologizing. And then? And then she'd get her revenge – the biggest hickey that she could possible create.

So – she'd lost her anger when his words had turned her to goo out by the bed. He was acting sweet and a bit soft, and although she enjoyed Gajeel's bad boy attitude, she appreciated the not so rough gesture of helping her with her bandages. Even if those bandages were caused by his stupidity.

"I can't get my shirt off." Her bottom lip protruded only slightly. Her pout caused a small twitch of his lips and Levy had to do her best to stop from smacking the smile off his face. "This is not the time for perverted comments, Gajeel. Just take my damn shirt off already."

She could see the million different comments he wanted to make in response to her demand but he kept his mouth shut, doing her a favor, and keeping himself from digging a bigger hole than the one he was already in.

"Jet and Droy are going to filet you alive when they see this." Levy commented as her shirt was tossed to the ground. She held her injured arm over her chest, her head turned to look at the damage. Her stomach turned queasy at the smell of burned skin, but Levy swallowed hard and pushed passed it. Gajeel had been working to ensure her bath was warm and ready for her, and once he moved out of the way, Levy started to lift her naked leg into the water.

"Hold on a second, let me clean your arm first." His rough hands grasped her before she could get too far into the water, tugging her over to a small station he had set up on the side of the room. Gajeel patted the counter, indicating the need for Levy to sit. Once she was there, the cleaning started the tears that wouldn't stop for a good half hour after.

* * *

"I know it hurt, Shrimp, but can you stop the waterworks already?" Gajeel asked as her back pressed against his chest. The water was nice and relaxing, but the fact that Levy kept a constant river of tears pouring from her eyes made him quite uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, Gajeel. It's just…embarrassing and it hurts."

Gajeel ran his hand along her blue hair, soothing her as best as he could. He could tell that her ego was bruised worse than her body. She'd thought she was stronger than she had been. Gajeel needed to tell her that her physical strength was a work in progress. He needed to emphasize that her strength lied within her other attributes – her strength of mind and emotions.

"Don't be embarrassed. We all have to start somewhere. If you let something like this get to you, you'll never get stronger."

"But Gajeel, you had to save me."

"I didn't have to do anything. You were holding your own pretty good. Strength doesn't come without pain….yours just requires you to grow your powers a little more strong in the combat department. Unfortunately, combat isn't always pretty."

Levy sniffed loudly, causing Gajeel to grin into her hair. She really was the most unique person he'd ever met. "Maybe. I just feel so useless sometimes. I'm not stupid or incapable, you know! People rely on me for stuff."

Gajeel grinned wider. "I know it, Shrimp. I rely on you for a lot of things. You're the smartest person I've ever met."

"You really think so?" She questioned.

"Uh huh. No, shut up and relax. You're in a bath with a naked man and you've yet to take advantage of the situation."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

AH! Sorry for the lack of updates. For those that have been following my stories on here, I've been doing a lot of updates to my story called Skinny Love. For those that are interested in more Gajevy fun, please check it out!

I've decided to focus in more on Levy and Gajeel's relationship, starting with this update. I hope you liked it!

R&R always appreciated!

And in case you're interested in checking it out...

s/11833116/1/Skinny-Love


	18. Chapter 18

**This chapter is titled: "Feelings" - Enjoy!**

* * *

After her bath, Levy found herself more relaxed than she had been in days. They'd be returning home soon – good news for the blunette…not so good news for the dragonslayer who had been tasked with keeping her safe. Jet and Droy would take one look at her battered form and assume the worst, and then Levy would be left with friends who had taken a beating and looked just as bad as she did. The thought made her grimace as she clutched the sheets closer to her body.

Gajeel had yet to slide into bed beside her. Levy still hadn't decided what was going on between them. Were they officially dating? Levy frowned at the thought – of course they were 'dating'. Gajeel had admitted that they were exclusive. That meant something, right? However, the dragonslayer had yet to really open up to her aside from the night they had first slept together. That was the last bit of emotion that she had really gotten from him and she knew that there had to be a lot of feeling underneath his roughness.

Levy's eyes drooped with tiredness. She'd pass out before too long. The pillows were so soft and comfortable – she was so tempted to steal one and take it home with her. The thought of stealing something made her uneasy, though, and the thought was quickly replaced with one of buying the pillow from the inn instead. Gajeel would have found that funny, she thought as Levy watched his dark form out on the balcony. He always said she was the most interesting person he'd ever met.

With a wince and a yawn as she snuggled into Gajeel's pillow – a tactic she was using to see if he would wake her up as he stole into bed later on that night – a happy smile fluttered onto her face. Sure, she might be bruised to no end, but she had a lot to look forward to. Gajeel gave her the promise of more adventures and Levy was ready for her life to take on a more exciting spin. Perhaps now that Gajeel was hers and she was his, Lucy wouldn't be the only one caught in the middle of exciting battles and meeting unique wizards all over Fiore. Levy felt confident that it was her turn to really experience all that life had to offer.

* * *

Gajeel sat on the edge of the balcony, his legs swinging over the edge as he looked at the stars. He'd thought that giving Levy a little bit of peace tonight would be best. He still felt somewhat guilty for leaving her up to her own devices in battle. Gajeel wouldn't have let anything serious happen to her – she might be bruised and battered, but she would recover. Still, his stomach had rumbled with unease as he had intimately caressed her in the bath earlier – her body aches causing her to wince with pain even though he was giving her pleasure. He hadn't meant for it to be that bad. He hadn't realized how fragile Levy was, even if she didn't want to admit it.

Sitting on the balcony, he'd had time to think about how he could make sure Levy grew. He'd make her train every day until he deemed her ready. She wasn't weak by any means – her magical power was greater than over half the guild. But her petite form, although very lithe, lacked physical finesse that she needed to overcome the hardships of hand to hand combat. She wasn't going to like it – Gajeel knew this much – but he was going to get her into the best shape of her life.

After all, she was a dragon's mate.

His lips curved into a smile at that thought. Sure, he'd been with countless women over the years, but with Levy, everything was something special. He should have known that when he'd created her gift, that his heart would have sunk into it more than he expected. It scared him to admit that he loved her, having just started to get to know her in the later part of his time in Fairytail. Part of him wished that he hadn't hurt her like he had when they had first met each other and he was in Phantom. She'd forgiven him, yes, but it was still a hardship that he had to overcome, although it was getting easier and easier to come to terms with it as the days progressed. So many years and months were lost because of his insecurity. Their relationship had been significantly strained because he just couldn't let himself see what was right in front of him. But the blush on her cheeks as he pressed a kiss to her lips was enough to make himself determined to love her in the way she deserved. He was not going to rush this. He was going to make her fall in love with him. And with the way she was hugging his pillow, he was certain it wouldn't be as hard as he was expecting.

Gajeel sighed as he swung his legs. He'd had all these grand plans to woo her, but she'd talked to him after his grand gesture with the flowers – and of course, after he somewhat kidnapped her at the guild. It had thrown him off almost completely and now he had to rethink his strategy. They were exclusive with one another, but perhaps the training he was about to put her through would be another way he could show her how much he cared. She was more than just a good lay to him anyway – Levy was one of his closest friends. He'd admitted it to himself when they were on one of their last missions together. The defining moment had been when she'd told him that she was scared.

"Shrimp, you've really got me under a spell." He muttered to himself, smirking into the darkness as he pushed himself up to his feet. It was getting late and they had a long journey ahead of them in the morning.

* * *

Sunshine. It was the first thing that she'd noticed as she came to consciousness. The second thing was the warmth that consumed her. Her body rose and fell in an unfamiliar rhythm and the loud beating of a heart was in her ears. Her hands clutched the rock hard chest that was underneath her and Levy found herself curling into the half-naked man that she was snuggled with. If this was what it was like being with Gajeel, Levy could only hope that she had a million mornings like this.

Minus his god awful morning breath.

Fingers pinched her nose as she moved off of him, slipping out of the covers and rushing to the bathroom. She hadn't noticed his morning breath before, but she'd definitely noticed it today. Flipping the light on in the small room, she looked in the mirror and almost let out a sob. Black and blue were the colors of her skin and Levy wasn't sure that she'd be able to cover the bruises up. They had definitely settled more overnight, but the healing had begun. Wendy would be able to help with her condition once they returned – it didn't appear that there was anything too terribly wrong with her. That was a positive.

"Oi! Shrimp! Where'd ya go?" His voice rang through her head as she quickly brushed her teeth and fixed her makeup. They hadn't reached the point in their relationship where Levy was okay with Gajeel seeing her completely disheveled first thing in the morning.

"I'm right here, Gajeel." Levy muttered, knowing full well that he could hear her. "I'll be out in a minute."

She'd kept true to her promise and slid back under the covers within a few moments. Gajeel's warm arms wrapped around her, careful to not push on any of her sore spots. He held her as if she were a china doll – breakable with even the slightest force. He was protecting her without realizing it, and Levy let a smug grin coat her face.

"Can we go shopping before we leave?" Levy asked as she closed her eyes and tried to fall back to sleep.

"You're seriously going to drag me shopping?"

"You're seriously going to give me crap about it after letting me get beat up yesterday?"

Gajeel sighed. "Fine. I guess you have a point."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Hi guys! Sorry for not updating in the last week or so...Life has been ridiculous! I have been going through the process of buying a house and we just got the okay to close today! So great news!

Additionally, I've been doing a lot of work on my other fanfiction, Skinny Love (which you all should check out if you haven't already), and some non-fanfiction work on Wattpad.

Thanks to everyone for the reviews, especially those who are pointing out my silly mistakes - sometimes it's crazy jumping between stories, especially one where I'm writing for Lucy, Juvia, and Levy. I do apologize for any descriptive errors I made - I'll be sure to be more careful in the future!

R&R guys - this chapter is a bit more heavy and thought filled than others. I was feeling kind of deep tonight so we're scratching the surface of feelings again. Next chapter - shopping trip and then announcing to the guild that they are "together". I wonder how Jet and Droy will take it?

Until next time! 3


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